The economy fuels fear. Currently, young Poles are most afraid of a lack of money, rising living costs and job loss.
The latest report reveals what Poles between the ages of 18 and 35 are most afraid of. Out of nearly 40 potential factors, the fear of a lack of money is the most common, being reported by 47.4% of respondents. This primarily applies to residents of rural areas and towns with up to 5,000 inhabitants, and those earning between 1,000- 2,999 PLN net per month. Moreover, it’s noteworthy that the top five fears are all financial. Among them are fears about rising living costs (27%), job loss or loss of earning potential (24%), rising shop prices (23.9%), and high taxes (23.6%). On the other hand, respondents were least worried about potential interactions with offices (0.4%), internet hate speech (0.9%), and a lack of professional advancement (1%).
Currently, only 1.5% of Poles between the ages of 18-35 don’t fear anything at all. Additionally, 2.5% of respondents don’t know if anything worries them. Whereas 2.6% of respondents are afraid of something not included in the list of nearly 40 specially chosen fears. These conclusions come from the latest report by UCE RESEARCH and RISIFY.pl entitled “What are young Poles afraid of?”, based on a nationwide survey conducted on a sample of over eight hundred Poles between the ages of 18-35.
Here is what Patryk Rzepka, psychologist and one of the co-authors of the research from RISIFY.pl therapy platform, has to say: “The fact that only 1.5% of respondents are not afraid of anything indicates the widespread presence of fears in the everyday lives of young people. The results aren’t surprising, but simultaneously they demonstrate how much young people need support in dealing with their fears.”
Taking into account the aforementioned list, the largest number of 18-35 year-olds fear a lack of money – 47.4%. “In my opinion, this is a result of both high inflation and other factors, like low earnings early in their career and consumer pressure. Young Poles need opportunities to increase their income, to better plan for their future and mitigate stress related to their financial situation”, comments Patryk Rzepka.
The fear of running out of money is more frequently indicated by women than men (49.3% vs. 45.3%). It is particularly noted by residents of rural areas and towns with up to 5,000 residents (54.4%). This concern predominantly applies to Poles with a monthly net income of between 1,000-2,999 PLN (54.9%) and those with an average level of education (51.6%).
“This particular fear is more common among women, those on lower incomes, with average education as well as rural residents and small townsfolk due to their greater sensitivity to economic changes and lesser financial flexibility. This, combined with limited earning opportunities, indicates a need for financial education and increasing income opportunities for these groups”, one of the study’s co-authors explains.
Next in line is a fear of rising living costs, stated by 27%. The top five also include worries about job or earning potential loss (24%), growing shop prices (23.9%) and high taxes (23.6%).
“These concerns reflect the difficult economic situation of young people. They indicate financial instability and uncertainty in the job market, which they have to face. Young people often just start their careers, which is associated with lower earnings and lesser saving possibilities. High inflation, rising living costs and taxes further strain their budgets. Let’s also clearly state that young people increasingly feel great stress connected with finances, which can affect their life choices including relationships and divorces”, notes the expert from RISIFY.pl
Further down the line, fears include falling into debt (20.9%), an influx of immigrants (19.6%), death of a close person (16.7%), becoming a fraud victim (14.7%), and a return of high inflation (14.4%).
The ranking concludes with a fear of dealing with offices (0.4%). Before that, there are indications of concern for hate speech on the internet (0.9%), lack of career progression (1%), motherhood or fatherhood (1.1%), envy of other people (1.1%), and marriage itself (1.1%).
“The least often chosen fears may indicate that young people may feel increasingly confident in situations related to formalities and professional growth. They may also rarely interact with offices or feel secure in such situations thanks to improved digitization and simplified administrative procedures. You can also see that they feel better in professional matters, hence the fear of these kind of things is reasonably low”, summarizes Patryk Rzepka.
Research Methodology Description
The report “What are young Poles afraid of? Edition I 2024” was based on a survey conducted using the CAWI (Computer Assisted Web Interview) method on a sample of 808 Poles between the ages of 18-35. The authors of the report are experts from the analytical-research platform UCE RESEARCH and the therapy platform RISIFY.pl.
Source: https://ceo.com.pl/?p=263037
