Young Adults Nearly Three Times More Likely Than Over-65s to Say Businesses Treat Employees  Badly

Research reveals a stark generational divide in how Britons view workplace fairness, with younger adults far more likely to believe businesses are failing their employees.

Britain may be looking at the same workplaces, but different generations are seeing entirely different realities.

According to YouGov data, more than half (56%) of 18 - 24-year-olds believe businesses in Britain treat employees badly. Among people aged 65 and over, that figure falls to just 20%.

The findings reveal a significant generational divide in attitudes toward work and raise important questions for employers trying to attract and retain younger talent.

At a time when businesses are grappling with recruitment challenges, rising employment costs and changing workforce expectations, understanding why younger workers view the workplace so differently could become even more important.

Contents

Key Findings

Analysis of recent YouGov research highlights key differences in how younger and older adults view the workplace.

56% of 18–24-year-olds believe British businesses treat employees badly, compared with just 20% of over-65s.

Young adults are nearly 3x more likely than pensioners to have a negative view of employee treatment.

44% of 18–24-year-olds believe it's too easy for businesses to sack employees, versus 15% of over-65s.

The data suggests many younger workers feel less secure and less trusting of employers than previous generations.

Employer reputation depends on addressing these concerns

Significantly More Negative About Workplace Treatment

The gap between younger and older generations is striking.

In other words, young adults are nearly three times more likely than pensioners to believe British businesses treat employees badly.

This isn't a marginal difference in opinion. It suggests many younger workers are entering the labour market with different expectations of employers, workplace culture and job security.

Britain Has Two Different Views of Work

The data also reveals a contrasting pattern when respondents are asked whether businesses treat employees well.

Among over-65s, more than seven in ten believe businesses generally treat employees well.

Among 18 - 24-year-olds, fewer than half agree.

The result is two competing narratives about the modern workplace.

Older generations tend to view employers as broadly fair and believe the balance between employers and employees is generally working.

Younger workers are more likely to feel that employees face insecurity, pressure and unfair treatment.

Neither perspective is necessarily wrong. Rather, they may be responding to very different labour market experiences.

Why Are Younger Workers More Negative?

Several factors may help explain the divide.

The Cost-of-Living Generation

Many younger workers have entered employment during one of the most financially challenging periods in recent memory.

They have experienced:

• Rapidly rising rents
• Higher living costs
• Slower wage growth
• Increased housing affordability challenges
• Greater barriers to home ownership

When a larger proportion of income is consumed by basic living costs, perceptions of fairness can shift.

Employees who feel they are working hard but struggling to get ahead may be more likely to question whether employers, businesses and wider economic systems are working in their favour.

Edelman Trust Barometer research suggests that people with lower levels of economic security are also less likely to trust institutions, including businesses. That may help explain why younger workers are more sceptical of employers.

The Rise of Flexible but Less Secure Work

Many younger workers have also spent more time in forms of employment that previous generations were less likely to encounter.

These include:

• Gig economy roles
• Platform-based work
• Freelance employment
• Temporary contracts
• Zero-hour contracts

While flexibility offers benefits for some workers, it can also create uncertainty around earnings, hours and long-term career progression.

This may help explain why public attitudes toward zero-hour contracts remain largely negative.

Separate YouGov research found that 59% of Britons believe zero-hour contracts are generally a bad thing, compared with just 28% who see them positively.

For younger workers, flexibility and insecurity can often feel closely linked.

Changing Expectations of Work

Attitudes toward work itself have also evolved.

Issues such as:

• Mental health
• Burnout
• Work-life balance
• Flexible working
• Psychological safety

are discussed far more openly than they were a generation ago.

Social media has amplified these conversations.

Employees now regularly share workplace experiences on platforms such as LinkedIn, Reddit, TikTok and Glassdoor. Stories that once remained internal can now reach thousands or even millions of people.

As a result, younger workers may have greater visibility into workplace challenges than previous generations ever had.

At the same time, expectations of employers have expanded.

Many employees no longer judge employers solely on pay and job security. Increasingly, they also consider wellbeing, flexibility, purpose, development opportunities and organisational culture.

What older generations may view as normal workplace pressures, younger generations may view as signs of a poor employee experience.

Young Workers Feel Less Secure in Their Jobs

The data also reveals a notable difference in perceptions of job security.

When asked whether it is too easy for businesses to sack employees:

Almost half of young adults believe employers can dismiss staff too easily.

Among over-65s, only 15% agree.

This suggests younger workers may feel significantly more vulnerable in the workplace than older generations.

Again, this may reflect differing labour market experiences.

Older workers may compare today's employment protections favourably with earlier decades.

Younger workers, meanwhile, are more likely to have experienced temporary contracts, probationary periods, restructures and rapidly changing economic conditions.

The result suggests many younger workers feel less confident about the stability of employment.

What This Means for Employers

For business owners, the findings are about more than workplace attitudes.

They have implications for recruitment, retention and employer reputation.

Separate findings from the Edelman Trust Barometer show that 73% of people trust their employer to do what is right, while only 51% trust businesses overall.

That distinction matters.

Today, people increasingly form opinions about businesses through direct experiences and the experiences of people they know.

Employees are becoming one of the most influential sources of information about what a company is really like to work for. That means every employee experience has the potential to influence future recruitment.

For younger workers in particular, employer reputation is shaped by factors such as:

• Fair treatment
• Career development opportunities
• Workplace culture
• Mental wellbeing support
• Flexibility
• Job security
• Transparency from leadership

Businesses that understand these concerns may be better positioned to attract younger talent and build lasting trust.

Those that ignore them may find recruitment and retention becoming progressively more difficult.

The Generational Trust Gap

The broader challenge for employers is not necessarily that younger workers have higher expectations.

It is that many younger workers appear less convinced those expectations are being met.

Whether that perception stems from economic pressures, changing workplace norms or increased visibility into employee experiences, the result is the same: a trust gap between generations.

For employers, closing that gap will require more than attractive salaries or employee perks.

It will require creating workplaces where people feel valued, supported and secure and communicating that reality credibly.

How to Build Trust with Younger Workers

Many of the challenges facing younger workers are outside an employer's control. But there are practical steps businesses can take to build trust.

Be Clear and Transparent

Communicate openly about pay, progression opportunities and business decisions. Uncertainty often damages trust more than bad news.

Create Stability Where You Can

Younger workers are particularly concerned about job security. Clear expectations, predictable schedules and regular communication can help employees feel more secure.

Focus on Fairness

Consistent policies, transparent decisions and respectful treatment help build credibility across all generations.

Get the Basics Right

Paying employees accurately and on time, communicating clearly and creating a positive working environment remain important trust signals for employees.

The Bottom Line

A trust gap is emerging between younger workers and employers. While older generations tend to view employers positively, younger workers are far more likely to feel work is insecure, pressured and stacked against them.

As businesses compete for the next generation of talent, understanding and addressing these concerns could become a major competitive advantage. The employers that succeed may not simply be those offering the highest salaries, but those that can build trust, provide stability and create workplaces where employees feel supported.

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