A Benchmark Study on the Job Perception of the Younger Generation - Traditional Jobs or Gig Jobs

Abstract

Today, our labour market has been characterised by traditional workers and gig workers. The decision towards the selection of traditional job or gig jobs will mostly be rely on each individuals’ priorities and situation. This Benchmark study on the job perception of the younger generation has been analysed with the 50 respondents who were belong to the various parts of the Thrissur District, Kerala, India. Key aspect of the job perspective of the younger generation are investigated in the study, the kind of job interested among the younger generation that is Traditional or Gig Jobs. The study also emphasizes the challenges faced by these younger generation while selecting the jobs, like stable income, flexi time, secured future. Primary data collected from the younger generation population through the well-defined questionnaire and the Results arrived from the analysis shows a significant relationship between the Kind of Job and the Condition of the Younger Generation. On the other hand, the other objective tried to reveal that there is an association between the Nature of jobs (traditional or gig) and the Challenges faced by the younger generation. While comparing traditional or gig jobs most of the job seekers will opt for a traditional type of jobs especially in Thrissur district of kerala, where the opportunity of gig jobs are very less. An unemployed young worker of the study age group may go for a traditional works as well as some gig works, because Gig jobs provide more flexibility and opportunities to the workers on different projects, besides to it the traditional jobs provide more stability and benefits like healthcare and retirement benefits to the worker. This study provides the random approach towards the job perception of the younger generation population of the Thrissur district.

Introduction

???? Study Focus:

The study explores the job preferences of the younger generation (ages 20–30) in semi-urban areas of Thrissur district, Kerala, with a focus on comparing traditional jobs and gig jobs. It investigates the motivations, challenges, and perceptions that influence their career choices.

???? Key Findings:

1. Job Preferences:

• Majority prefer traditional jobs due to:

  • Stable income

  • Job security

  • Structured benefits (e.g., insurance, retirement)

• Only a minority prefer gig jobs, despite their flexibility and autonomy.

2. Challenges Faced:

• There is a skills mismatch: many youths lack the technical skills needed in the digital gig economy.

• Job seekers in semi-urban areas face limited job opportunities.

• Young people dislike the procedures (interviews, recommendations) associated with securing traditional jobs, but still seek them due to long-term benefits.

3. Influencing Criteria:

• Key factors affecting job choice:

  • Stable income (traditional jobs favored)

  • Flexi-time (gig jobs favored)

  • Secured future (traditional jobs favored)

???? Hypotheses Tested:

H1: There is a significant relationship between the kind of job (traditional or gig) and the condition (interest level) of the younger generation.

• ? Accepted: Majority (36 out of 50) preferred traditional jobs.

• Statistical analysis (Chi-square value 21.492) confirmed significance.

H2: There is an association between the nature of jobs (traditional or gig) and the challenges faced by the younger generation.

• ? Accepted: Job preference is clearly linked to perceived challenges.

• Statistical analysis (Chi-square value 13.851) confirmed significance.

???? Research Methodology:

• Primary Data: 50 respondents from semi-urban Thrissur (aged 20–30), surveyed using a questionnaire.

• Sampling: Random and convenient sampling.

• Analysis Tool: Chi-square test.

• Secondary Sources: Journals, books, and official reports.

Conclusion

In the concluding remarks, the research work claims that gig jobs will offer flexibility in the working condition and also provide enormous opportunities to the younger generation, still it comprises lot of other challenges. The study has concentrated in a semi urban area of the Thrissur district in kerala, where gig jobs are not more frequently available, though it is difficult to get traditional job respondents were interested and trying to get it, due to the insufficiency of the gig jobs. Thus, the respondents of the Thrissur district are more preferred in Traditional jobs. Gig jobs play a significant role in changing the face of job market in today’s modern economy. but it has not much developed in some parts of the economy especially where the study area covers. Gig jobs should increase in the nooks and corners of our economy to reduce the employment related problems. Nowadays gig jobs are challenging the traditional jobs by creating the younger generation to acquire knowledge and their attitude towards their job opportunity. This study is based on the micro level survey with that the researcher proves that younger generation population of 20 to 30 years are more interested in the traditional jobs. The above results indicates that (1) Our Society should change their attitude towards the job nature and encourage the younger generation to take part in the gig jobs, it may also help to solve our employment problems. With the increase of growing population perspective on job market should be changed achieving traditional full-time job has become difficult. Younger Generation should develop their skills to compete with this new job market. (2) The Government should take initiative measures to increase the gig jobs for our younger generation population in all over the country especially in the semi urban and rural areas. Though there are lot of employment generation schemes has been announced by the government it has effectively increasing the job opportunity among youth employees. Even the government has assisting to create micro level enterprises in the non-farm sectors our job quest has not reaching the end point. The government should ease the rules and regulations imbibed in the Government schemes to the new ventures especially in the researcher’s study area where need of new jobs. It also reduces the wide disparity among the states while implementing the new schemes. Thus, this research work suggests that the study area is in need of gig jobs to reduce the dependence on traditional jobs which can reduce the number of unemployed among the above said age group of younger generation population.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Dr. M. S. Geetha. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.