Serdar AYDOĞAN

Yes, young people are perceived as being selective about jobs, and yes, employers struggle to find workers.

An individual who spends over 10 hours a day away from home for work, despite officially working 8 hours, naturally demands fair compensation for their labor.

Let us delve into the core of the matter. Since the 1990s, Turkey has transitioned from a mindset of “as long as there is work, we will do it” to one of questioning: “What will I earn? Is it worth it? How does the same job pay elsewhere?” This shift has led to a recognition of the stark discrepancies in wages and work conditions. In the past, identifying such disparities was more challenging.

Currently, employees in Turkey, both laborers and civil servants, work an average of 42.9 hours per week, compared to the European Union (EU) average of 36.4 hours. Furthermore, 28% of workers in Turkey work 49 hours or more per week.

According to the European Union’s Statistical Office (Eurostat), in 2022, EU citizens worked an average of 36.4 hours per week in their primary jobs. Turkey’s most recent data, from 2020, indicates that Turkish citizens worked an average of 42.9 hours per week, ranking first among 35 countries. The Netherlands recorded the lowest weekly working hours at 32.4. These statistics reflect the working hours of individuals aged 20–64, encompassing both full-time and part-time employees (OECD data).

Since the 1990s, the gap between work and earnings in Turkey has widened significantly, leading to extreme disparities in average work-to-earnings ratios. Consequently, this has prompted a reevaluation of norms. In 2023, the gross minimum wage in Turkey is 13,414 TRY, with a net amount of 11,402 TRY. This equates to a daily minimum wage of 456.08 TRY and an hourly wage of 50.67 TRY. However, considering hourly wages in some sectors can reach 1,000 TRY, it is evident that the imbalance in earnings has opened a new chapter under the guise of “opportunity” or “entrepreneurship.” Income inequality has reached an unprecedented level.

Conclusions

1. We struggle to persuade young people to accept the working conditions we encountered when we began our careers.
2. Early and careful solutions for acquiring professional skills are lacking.
3. We do not expect young people to repeat the mistakes of previous generations.
4. We expect young people, who are influenced by peers in more modern conditions, to remain unaffected.
5. While providing young people with easy access to everything, we expose them to challenging work conditions.
6. We forget that young people live in the information age, where they are aware of every situation and condition.
7. We overlook the fact that this era is rife with bad habits.
8. We ignore that young people are more socially active and that their social activities are costly.
9. Social media amplifies their aspirations, creating dreams far above their current reality.

A Positive Outlook

Despite these challenges, there is a profoundly positive outcome to consider, which is the primary reason for this discussion:

The so-called “job-picky” youth will:

• Elevate the standard of living.
• Help employers recognize that labor, rather than capital, is the most critical factor in achieving profits.
• Normalize the work-to-earnings ratio.
• Reduce the income gap between employers and employees.
• Foster a work ethic and discipline befitting the nation.
• Swiftly address sectoral gaps as young people seize opportunities.
• Gradually balance the presence of monopolistic individuals in specific sectors, enabling the emergence of well-earning, well-living young professionals.
• Facilitate the establishment of a workforce-driven economy, a hallmark of developed countries.

If young people refuse to work under unsuitable conditions, the system will evolve to offer them acceptable terms.

If a “Turkish Century” is to commence, the driving force behind it will be the Turkish people’s dedication to work, coupled with fair compensation. This dynamic will not only prevent stagnation but also elevate the performance of Turkish citizens beyond that of modern nations.