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For the first time in many years, Spaniards are paying more attention not just to whether they have a job, but to what kind of job it is. The latest survey data show that concerns about “job quality” have climbed into the top three worries for citizens, a level only reached once before in the past decade. This is happening at a time when unemployment is low and the economy is creating new jobs, which makes the shift in public concern all the more telling.

 

The data suggest that having a salary is no longer enough. Many workers feel that wages are not keeping up with the rising cost of living, and that job security is still fragile. As one economist puts it, “the economic indicators suggest that the available information is positive, but we cannot forget that there is still a great deal of job insecurity in terms of wages and involuntary part time work.”

 

Those most concerned are workers between 35 and 44 years old, at a stage when people usually expect to see stability, promotion and better pay. As one researcher explains, “they are at a point of job consolidation, stabilization and advancement, promotion, salary increases… which are probably not materializing.” Pressure from housing costs, international tensions and a fast moving technological landscape add to the sense that life is becoming more expensive while incomes stay flat.

 

Part of the picture is mental health. Experts point out that “a job that causes you mental health problems is not a quality job,” and that society is now much less willing to accept work related stress as an unavoidable part of life. This is one of the main reasons that the quality of conditions at work has moved up the list of public concerns.

 

At the same time, Spain has recorded strong employment figures in recent months, with a large number of new contracts and the lowest unemployment rate in nearly two decades. However, that does not mean the jobs on offer are always good ones. A further issue is that wage rises are not reaching many workers as fast as the minimum wage has been raised, leaving many households still struggling to cover basic needs.

 

To improve the situation, voices from both unions and academia stress that better pay alone is not the whole answer. They argue that quality jobs also need better work life balance, shorter hours where possible, stronger workplace protections and more attention to workers’ health and wellbeing. In their words, the goal should be “working to live, and not living to work.”

 

 

Image: digital representation