Gen Zs have spoken, working from home is so over

Kristina BeanlandPublished Sep 27, 2022, 8:43am|Updated Sep 27, 2022, 8:47am

Younger workers enjoy socialising at work (Credits: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The novelty of working in your pyjamas may have officially worn off.

When office workers skipped home at the start of the pandemic, they did so with happy thoughts of weekday lie ins and loungewear.

But after over two years of working from kitchen tables and bedroom desks, it seems there’s been a change of heart – especially for the younger cohort of workers.

In fact, 72% of Gen Z-ers say they want to be in the office between three and five days a week.

A survey conducted by Bright Network, the graduate careers and employment specialist, found that younger workers are keen to get back into an office environment, busting the myth of the lazy Gen Z.

Their eagerness to get to work might be due to social concerns.

Of the people surveyed, 88% of Gen Zs – that’s those born from around 1997 to 2012 – said that it’s important or valuable to have friends at work.

Although they draw the line at romantic relationships, with 50% saying they would be cautious about an office romance.

They also noted that the cost of living crisis has changed how they’re thinking about starting their careers.

Starting salary expectations from this cohort is at £30,244, up by 9% since January 2022, with respondents citing the stress and impact of the country’s current financial situation.

This may also be why Gen Z’s are likely to have a side hustle. Almost eight in ten of those polled said it was desirable to have an extra money-making scheme outside of their work.

‘This research will shake up what many people thought they knew about Gen Z, and cause many to look at Gen Z in a new light in the workplace,’ commented James Uffindell, CEO and founder, Bright Network.

‘Gen Z talent is absolutely fundamental to the success of UK businesses, both now and in the coming years. What we’ve found from speaking to Gen Z students is that employers absolutely should not believe some of the stereotypes they have heard.

‘Our advice for employers is to focus on the Gen Z experience, but part of this means recognising that often older, established workers set the culture. If teams are burned out after the pandemic, this will affect new Gen Z joiners, their experience of the organisation, their performance, and their happiness at work.’