Aspects of young employees' mental health: a narrative review.

Abstract

The mental health of employees has attracted an increasing degree of scientific attention. However, the majority of studies address the working population as a whole, with limited focus on young employees as a distinct group. The present narrative review synthesizes literature that was published in 2003-2025, which was identified through major online databases. This review focuses on young workers, most commonly defined in the literature as individuals aged 18-35 years who have entered the workforce within the past years. The aim of this review is to present the current state of knowledge with respect to the mental health of young workers, with particular attention to psychosocial risk factors contributing to this issue. The focus is on the differences between generations, the state of young employees' mental health, psychosocial work factors connected to it and identifies 6 key psychosocial risk factors associated with poorer mental health outcomes: poor psychosocial job quality, exposure to sexual harassment, emotional workload and work pressure, subjective job insecurity, effort-reward imbalance with low social support, and precarious employment. In the analyzed studies, young workers appear to be a group at risk of mental disorders, with work-related stressors playing a significant role in their occurrence. The review also compiles practical organizational solutions aimed at improving job quality, stability, support and minimizing psychosocial risks. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2026;39(2).