Reimagining Work Stability: A Qualitative Longitudinal Case Study of the (Post)Pandemic Crises on Young People’s Experiences in the Labour Market

Abstract

This article explores how the COVID-19 (post)pandemic crisis has reshaped young people’s experiences and perceptions of work stability. Drawing on unique longitudinal qualitative data collected over an 8-year period, the study examines changes in perceptions of occupational stability among young Polish adults with international mobility experiences, focusing on two contrasting case studies that illustrate pre- and post-pandemic narratives. The analysis combines narrative and thematic approaches to trace how participants make sense of changing work conditions over time. The findings highlight the pandemic’s role as an ‘unsettling event’ that redefined the meaning of stability. The study argues for situating the pandemic within a continuum of overlapping crises, contributing to a nuanced understanding of young people’s labour market experiences amid intensifying global uncertainty.