IICP HSE Academy
Occupational Health

Mental Health of Young Workers and Interns: Transition to Work

Entering working life exposes young people to increased psychosocial risks: stress, overload, lack of support, harassment. Prevention must target onboarding, supervision and training.

IICP HSE Academy Published on 19 October 2026 5 min read 23 views
Santé mentale — Jeunes travailleurs et stagiaires

Mental Health of Young Workers and Trainees: Transition to the Workplace

The transition to working life exposes young people to increased psychosocial risks: stress, overload, lack of support, harassment. Prevention must target onboarding, supervision, and training.

The transition to working life is a period of potential vulnerability for physical and mental health. Young workers (particularly those under 25) and trainees may be more exposed to occupational risks due to a lack of experience, insufficient training, production pressure, or difficulties integrating into a new environment.

Quantitative Challenges

According to the ILO, workers aged 15 to 24 suffer up to 40% more non-fatal work accidents than older workers, according to international data presented by the organization. This figure does not specifically refer to the first year of employment and should not be interpreted as a statistic specific to Morocco.

Psychosocial risks (PSR) can also affect young workers: performance-related anxiety, fear of making a mistake, isolation, lack of support, or difficulty reporting a dangerous situation. Their level of exposure depends mainly on the organization of work, management, and integration conditions.

Psychosocial Risks

  • Overload: Volume or complexity of work unsuitable for experience and skills;
  • Lack of training in safety, procedures, and job-specific risks;
  • Production pressure and deadlines, especially when objectives are incompatible with available resources;
  • Harassment (moral or sexual), intimidation, and bullying;
  • Contractual insecurity or uncertainty regarding the continuation of employment or the internship;
  • Lack of managerial, supervisory, or mentoring support.

Factors of Vulnerability

The young worker or trainee may present several factors of vulnerability:

  • Lack of experience in identifying hazards and applying procedures;
  • Peer pressure to prove their worth or not appear inexperienced;
  • Difficulty asking for help, especially when they fear being judged;
  • Unawareness of rights, safety instructions, and reporting mechanisms;
  • Difficulty interrupting a task or reporting an unusual or potentially dangerous instruction.

These factors do not affect all young people in the same way. They must be assessed on a case-by-case basis, considering the individual, the position, and the work environment.

Prevention Measures

Effective prevention combines several levers:

  • Mentoring / Tutoring: Assign a competent, available, and trained contact person for support. The duration of the follow-up must be adapted to the complexity of the position, the risks, and the actual progression of skills;
  • Onboarding safety training: Present job-specific hazards, preventive measures, emergency procedures, PPE, and reporting methods. The content and duration must be adapted to the risks and applicable legal requirements; no single universal duration applies;
  • Gradual workload: Adapt tasks and the level of autonomy to acquired skills, without prematurely exposing the new hire to situations they do not master;
  • Individualized follow-up by the supervisor or mentor, with recourse to occupational health services where applicable;
  • A climate of trust that encourages questions, reporting of errors, and communication of difficulties without reprisals;
  • Prevention of violence and harassment: Inform workers of codes of conduct and procedures for reporting and handling situations.

Legal Framework in Morocco

In Morocco, the Labor Code (Law No. 65-99), in its Article 5, states that beneficiaries of training-internship and apprenticeship training programs are subject to certain provisions of the Code, particularly those concerning compensation for work accidents and occupational diseases, as well as certain rules concerning working hours, rest, and leave.

This provision does not mean that every internship automatically constitutes an employment contract simply because a counterpart is paid. The applicable regime depends mainly on the nature of the relationship, the type of internship, and the relevant texts. Therefore, it is necessary to verify the applicable legal framework before determining the rights and obligations specific to each situation.

Health and safety measures must be defined in accordance with applicable provisions, the nature of the activities, and the identified occupational risks.

Recommendations

For companies:

  • Integrate a module dedicated to mental health and psychosocial risks into the onboarding process;
  • Organize follow-up interviews, for example after the first month and then after three months, adapting their frequency to the position and the duration of the internship or contract;
  • Designate a contact person or identified representative for issues of harassment and workplace difficulties, in accordance with applicable procedures;
  • Raise managers' awareness of possible warning signs (withdrawal, absenteeism, isolation, expressed distress, or unusual difficulties), without considering these signs as proof in themselves of a mental health problem;
  • Ensure that every new hire knows the safety instructions, to whom they can ask questions, and how to report a danger;
  • Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of the onboarding system and correct any identified shortcomings.

Sources et références

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