jobbbehov

Jobbbehov is a Swedish neologism formed from the words jobb (job) and behov (need). It refers to the perceived need or demand for employment, either at the individual level or at the societal level. In individual terms, it can denote a person’s need for regular work to secure income, purpose, and social inclusion. At the macro level, it can describe the demand for job opportunities within an economy, or the policy emphasis on creating and maintaining sufficient employment to meet labor supply.

Etymology and usage: The term is mostly found in contemporary Swedish discourse, including think-tank reports and policy debates, rather than in formal statistical definitions. It is not standard in official vocabulary; more common terms are sysselsättning (employment) or arbetsmarknadsbehov (labor-market needs).

Context: Jobbbehov is used when discussing unemployment, underemployment, automation, and regional labor-market imbalances. It can frame both the adequacy of job opportunities and the adequacy of social support for those seeking work.

Variants and related ideas: Related concepts include arbetsbehov, arbetsmarknadsbehov, and behov av sysselsättning. Policy discussions may talk about job creation, job guarantees, and active labor-market programs as means to address jobbbehov.

Limitations: As a neologism, its meaning can be ambiguous and it may not be recognized outside certain contexts. Clarity depends on accompanying definitions of whether the focus is individual needs or aggregate demand for labor.

See also: unemployment, labor market, employment, job creation, active labor market policy.