Remote Working? Gen Z Prefer the Office

Remote working or visiting the office; what’s better?

Technology advancements have made it possible for workers and their managers to communicate despite being separated by long distances. Slack, Zoom and e-mail easily bridge oceans and even continents of distance for companies.

Most people imagine Gen Zs as the primary advocates of remote work in the workforce. But, the reality couldn’t be more different and surprising. It turns out that a survey conducted by Business Insider towards centennials pointed towards Gen Z preferring the office rather than their homes as a workplace. 

Business Insider interviewed centennial workers to inquire about their work preferences. Some of them reported quitting their jobs after their employers allowed them to work remotely, as they needed to work somewhere which encourages person-to-person interaction. Gen Z wants to meet people face-to-face; they seek mentorships that help them propel their careers. Many of them don’t have children or outstanding debt yet, so they have an easier time managing commute and work-life balance.

office work

Office Work © Vecteezy

Backing up this idea, Linkedin analyzes job applications on its platform and found out that 20-to-24 year olds are the group least likely to apply for remote jobs. Less than 25% of 20-somethings who can work remotely want to do so full-time. Young people want to meet people at the office and even believe their productivity improved when in the work environment. 

On the other hand, reactions to the post have been divisive. Many of them commented that the data was inaccurate and that they’d always choose to work from home rather than work at the office.

However, the jury’s still out on whether productivity is actually higher in the office or at home. Numerous studies have been conducted to determine which is better overall, but no clean-cut consensus has been obtained from the data.

Working from the office provides networking opportunities and elevates the company culture. It’s undoubtedly harder to form genuine relationships working remotely than from the office, so there’s no surprise that the most sociable generation are keen to meet up in person. However, these results could very likely evolve as Gen Z ages and start gaining more responsibilities, such as families or mortgages. 

What’s true is that Gen Z has diverse opinions on their workplace preferences, and for now, data seems to point towards working from the office rather than from home.

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