Generation Z prefers going to the office more than any other age group. Reasons for this include social contacts, which young people had to do without for a long time due to the Corona pandemic. Millennials, on the other hand, prefer to work from home.
Generation Z (birth years between 1997 and 2012) leads the way when it comes to returning to the office. This is evident from a report by the real estate company JLL, shared with the English-language Fortune magazine.
In this regard, Generation Z clearly outpaces other age groups, especially Millennials (birth years 1981 to 1996), who do not value office work very much.
Generation Z goes to the office because they want social contact
What is this report about? The study by the real estate company JLL surveyed 12,000 employees from various industries in 44 countries. It found that those who have some freedom to come to the office whenever they want do so on average 2.5 to 2.7 days per week.
Generation Z is the only group that exceeds this average, going to the office an average of three days a week.
Why does Gen Z go to the office? Many employees of Generation Z stated that they feel they missed out on personal interactions during the pandemic when some were still in high school or college. They say that going to the office allows them to learn more from colleagues and make friendships. For example, Spencer McLean, a PR manager at Advantage Media Group, who was born in 1999, told Fortune:
When you work remotely, you don’t have the opportunity to walk over to someone else’s desk to learn how to do something or to ask a quick question that doesn’t require scheduling a meeting.
For young people who experienced the quarantine during the pandemic, the experience of going to the office and utilizing the associated social factor proves to be very valuable. This way, they can avoid the isolation and loneliness that can accompany remote work.
They do not want to be in the office permanently.
To be honest, I didn’t enjoy going to the office every day. Hybrid work gives you a mental break, where you don’t have to engage in constant conversations and can sit down and focus.
Millennials prefer to work from home
What do other generations think? The Venn magazine examined which demographics prefer to work in which ways. The team found that Millennials prefer to work from home and do not enjoy being in the office: 84% prefer to work from home and favor remote work over office work:
- 84% of Millennials and 74% of Generation Z wish for more opportunities for remote work.
- For Generation X, it’s only 49%, and for Boomers, even just 32%.
The JLL report shows that employees who belong to the Millennial generation have the lowest satisfaction with working in the office, citing environmental concerns and desires for better technology, flexibility, and catering.
Caitlin Luetger-Schlewitt, a lecturer in leadership and career preparation at the School of Business and Entrepreneurship at North Central College, says that she asks her students every semester whether they want to work remotely, in person, or in a hybrid form. Luetger-Schlewitt stated that she has worked with many Millennials who prefer remote work.
Iceland implemented a 4-day workweek nationwide in 2019. Six years later, it is found that it benefits both employers and employees. This supports the demands that Generation Z has long had: for optimized work-life balance and better working hours: A country in Europe introduced the four-day week six years ago, we now know: Generation Z was always right
