With the recent evolution of the labor market, emerging adults with no diploma are particularly exposed to unsatisfying jobs and barriers to access decent work. The aim of the research was to identify their representations of work, based on the psychology of emerging adulthood and the psychology of working theory. Differences related to each country’s level of development and to the work situations met by the participants were expected. Ten emerging adults aged 20–25 were interviewed in seven countries (N = 70). Data were processed using a thematic content analysis. The results stress that these emerging adults associate “decent work” with two specific qualities: the extent to which work allows survival needs to be met and the experience of positive social relationships in the workplace. This article discusses the similarities and differences in their representations of work and their role on identity development.

随着劳动力市场的最新发展，没有文凭的新兴成年人特别容易遭受令人不满意的工作和获得体面工作的障碍。该研究的目的是根据新兴成年的心理学和工作理论的心理学来确定他们的工作表现。预计与每个国家的发展水平和参与者所满足的工作状况有关的差异。在七个国家/地区采访了10位年龄在20-25岁之间的新兴成年人（N= 70）。使用主题内容分析处理数据。结果强调，这些新兴成年人将“体面的工作”与两种特定的素质联系在一起：工作需要满足生存的程度以及在工作场所建立积极的社会关系的经验。本文讨论了工作表示形式及其在身份发展中的作用的异同。