Os sentidos do trabalho para jovens estudantes e trabalhadores de uma instituição de ensino superior de Curitiba: um olhar para a geração Z a partir da teoria da subjetividade de González Rey

Abstract

Work plays an important role in society, not only as a means of survival but also as a source of personal fulfillment and psychological structure. Currently, many studies and research point to the growth of workers’ illness, particularly mental illness, as a result of organizational practices and the relationship that workers establish with them. In addition, there is a movement among Generation Z, composed of those born between 1995 and 2010, questioning this work–worker relationship and attributing new meanings to it. The general objective of this study is to analyze the meanings of work for young students and workers belonging to Generation Z at a Higher Education Institution in Curitiba-PR, based on González Rey’s Theory of Subjectivity. Specifically, the study aims to: (i) to identify central and peripheral aspects of work for Generation Z youth; (ii) to approximate discussions between common and divergent elements in the meaning of study and work for young students and Workers; e (iii) to verify the characteristics of Generation Z members from a Higher Education Institution in Curitiba-PR. To achieve these goals, a qualitative research was carried out, since the intention was to investigate the subjective aspects of the interviewees, seeking to identify the meanings they attribute to work through a socio-historical epistemology, that is, considering the historical and social issues in which the phenomenon occurs. The investigation adopted a qualitative approach, based on socio-historical epistemology, using the constructive-interpretative method and analysis through the Meaning Cores (Aguiar & Ozella). The corpus consisted of eight participants, selected according to criteria of diversity in gender, age, and professional experience. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed in order to articulate the narratives with the theoretical framework. The results show that young people attribute multiple and dynamic meanings to work, configured in contradictory ways. Work appears not only as a means of livelihood but also as a space for learning, autonomy, recognition, and the construction of future projects. The participants revealed a strong desire for stability and social mobility, as well as valuing study as a driver of development. However, experiences of overload, renunciation of leisure and health, and the perception of precariousness and devaluation in some labor contexts also emerged. The analysis indicated that, although they live with tensions between pleasure and suffering, young people demonstrate resilience and commitment in reconciling study and work, deconstructing stereotypes of lack of effort or immediacy. From this perspective, the meaning of work is produced at the intersection between individual trajectories and social conditions, confirming the relevance of subjectivity as an analytical category. It is concluded that understanding the experiences of these young people expands the debate on youth and the world of work, bringing contributions to public policies and organizational practices that are more sensitive to the demands for well-being, recognition, and quality of life.