'Stuck & powerless' | Employers urged to tackle 'underbelly of insecure work'

Young women are urging employers to improve flexibility, provide more notice of shift rotas and cancellations, and invest in training and skills development for workers on zero-hours and fixed-term contracts, as new research from Young Women’s Trust reveals that insecure workers are feeling trapped, disposable, undervalued and unprotected.

Young women are one of the groups most exposed to the challenges of insecure work because they’re more likely to enter the industries that use it. They’re also paid less than men in insecure jobs. 

On top of this, there’s a ‘sticky floor’ effect whereby young women feel trapped and unable to leave - almost 3 in 10 (27%) said that they don’t feel confident enough to move out of insecure work when they want or need to. 

Many also cited the lack of opportunities to develop their skills leaving them feeling ill equipped to find permanent employment.