The Ecological and Digital Transformations: Personal Finances Influence how these Twin Change Processes are Perceived

While change arouses fears and anxieties that could delay or even prevent the necessary adjustments, the fear of negative consequences might conceivably accelerate or facilitate a transformation. If the labour market is to be set on the right course, it is important to identify and address employees’ concerns at an early stage. Based on the Socio-Economic Panel, the present analysis examines relative levels of anxiety among the workforce concerning the consequences of climate change and technological progress. In addition to age, gender and occupational status, education and income levels play an important role in how the transformation processes are perceived and judged. Some nine out of ten middle class employees express concerns about the effects of climate change. Almost every third respondent is afraid they will not be able to keep abreast of technological progress. For those without a vocational qualification and those at risk of poverty the fear of being left behind by technological developments predominates, whereas graduates and upper-middle-class earners worry more about the consequences of climate change. The longitudinal analysis also shows that a sharp drop in household net equivalent income effectively represses climate change concerns.