A UK government advisor has warned that rising levels of anxiety, depression, and reliance on technology are making it increasingly difficult for young people to adapt to the modern workforce. Alan Milburn, a former health secretary, is set to urge the government and businesses to adopt flexible working arrangements and provide proper mental health support to secure long-term economic benefits. This comes as the number of economically inactive individuals aged 16 to 24 continues to rise.
Impact on Youth Employment
According to reports by The Guardian, Milburn’s interim report on youth inactivity examines the influence of social media, changing work expectations, and mental well-being on the growing number of young people outside education and employment. Milburn was tasked by Prime Minister Keir Starmer last year to investigate why nearly one million young Britons are classified as NEET—those not in education, employment, or training.
In his report, Milburn argues that companies and organizations must understand how digital culture has reshaped younger generations. He stated that smartphones and social media have altered how young adults communicate, cope with stress, and engage with work. “The system is trapping people in worklessness rather than enabling them into work,” Milburn told the Times. “We’re at risk of just writing a whole generation off.”
The ‘Bedroom Generation’
Milburn described a “bedroom generation” whose members spend much of their time online and away from traditional workplace environments. “This is a bedroom generation. They are sort of living in their bedrooms. They are on all the time; they’re never off. [Social media] is leading to some evidence of functional impairment, changing their sleep patterns and concentration levels. That is having an impact on their ability to work,” he said.
He rejected criticism that younger workers lack resilience. “They are not snowflakes. People say it’s a soft generation. My view unequivocally is that it isn’t. It is an anxious generation,” he added.
Statistics and Trends
Government statistics reveal that more than half of Britain’s 946,000 NEETs have never worked before. The data also shows that about one-quarter of young people suffer from long-term illness or disability preventing them from working. Among them, nearly 43 percent cited mental health issues as the reason for being outside the workforce, compared to 24 percent in 2011.
Officials noted that youth inactivity in Britain remains higher than in several comparable countries. Research has linked unemployment in early adulthood to lower wages later in life.
Report Recommendations
Milburn’s report states: “[Young people] are different, not worse, not lazier, not less intelligent. They have grown up in a digital world that has rewired how they communicate, form relationships, and manage stress. They have fewer experiences of workplaces and they present with higher levels of anxiety and depression.”
The report comes at a time when migration to Britain has fallen sharply after reaching record highs in 2022. According to Milburn, businesses could recruit from the large pool of inactive youth if provided with proper support and training.
Last week, former headteacher and government advisor Peter Hyman wrote in The Guardian that schools are increasingly pushing vulnerable young people towards long-term disengagement from employment. He also called for urgent reforms, including restricting social media access for minors.
