Survey: Lithuanian youth expect at least €1,500 a month after taxes

More than half of young people in Lithuania would consider a job offer only if the take-home salary was at least 1,500 euros a month, while one in five would expect more than 2,000 euros, according to a survey commissioned by the Lithuanian Employment Service.

The survey, conducted by market research firm Spinter Tyrimai, also found that young workers expect relatively rapid pay increases. Some 44% said salaries should rise immediately after the probationary period, while another 41% expected an increase within the first year of employment, the Employment Service said.

Salary remains the most important factor when young people choose a job, cited by 70% of respondents. Flexible working hours ranked second, at 45%, followed by work-life balance, at 40%.

“Young people’s behaviour in the labour market has been changing in recent years. They are more confident about changing jobs, actively explore new opportunities and are more sensitive to issues of social justice,” Employment Service Director Inga Balnanosienė said.

Work-life balance is important to 62% of respondents, the survey found. Although higher pay remains a priority for many, one in 10 said they would be willing to earn less in exchange for more free time.

Shift work and on-call duties were viewed negatively by 51% of young people. Nearly as many said the ability to choose flexible starting and finishing times was important.

Balnanosienė said quality of life, psychological well-being and the ability to balance professional and personal needs were becoming increasingly important to younger workers.

“For employers, this signals that competitive pay increasingly has to compete with flexibility, opportunities for rest and measures that foster a healthy workplace culture,” she said.

Despite these expectations, 67% of respondents said they were satisfied with their current jobs. However, 76% admitted that they at least occasionally considered changing jobs. One-quarter said they intended to leave their current position, while 13% were actively looking for new opportunities.

Pay and emotional well-being were the leading factors that could prompt young people to quit. Nearly half said they would leave because of an unsatisfactory salary, while more than four in 10 cited stress, emotional exhaustion or the risk of burnout. Career prospects and opportunities for professional development were important to about one-third.

Psychological well-being is also emerging as a key measure of job quality, the Employment Service said. Burnout and emotional exhaustion were among the main reasons young people considered changing jobs, while only 1% of respondents said they experienced no anxiety.

Spinter Tyrimai surveyed just over 1,000 people ages 19 to 29 in June and July.