Seven in ten European millennials would turn down a high-paying but boring job for a more enjoyable role with moderate pay. This trend emerges from a major international labor market study on millennial work attitudes, conducted by YoungCapital in partnership with Utrecht University.
The survey polled 3,721 millennials aged 17 to 36 across eight European countries, asking whether they'd opt for a dull job with a fat paycheck or an engaging one with average earnings. An impressive 69% chose the fun job. Spaniards (81%), French (77%), and Dutch (71%) showed the strongest preference, while Germans (55%) and British (57%) were more pragmatic about pay.
When selecting their ideal contract type, six in ten European millennials favor fixed-term agreements. In the Netherlands, this drops to half of respondents. Only in France do young people across all ages overwhelmingly prefer permanent contracts.
Overall, millennials report high satisfaction with their current hours and contract types—whether short-term temp, six-month, annual, or permanent. Dutch respondents are somewhat less content, with more desiring permanent roles. Notably, 18.6% of those with permanent contracts prefer greater flexibility.
Learning opportunities top the list of employer priorities for European millennials, followed by salary and clear expectations from managers. Social responsibility ranks just outside the top three (68% deem it very important), though only 58% of Dutch respondents prioritize it—far below France and Austria (75%). The Dutch value informal cultures highly, while perks like company gadgets, remote work options, or employer reputation matter less.
