Gen-Z and the return to the office

I’m glad to hear that younger people want to get back into the office. The last few years of demanding WFH, asking employers to ‘modernise’, and ‘respond to the needs of younger workers’ has been a case of the tail wagging the dog.

As a small business that’s office based I have never been a fan of remote working. Over the last couple of years, I’ve had Uni graduates request 100% WFH and they won’t even attend the office visit for an interview. None of them have got very far, because I have no interest in anyone who has no interest in building a relationship with my team. If you are brand new in a role in an industry you have no meaningful experience in, face-to-face experience, absorbing the culture of a place is a crucial element of making a good start in a job.

WFH is good for specialists at the top of their game who no longer need to collaborate to get things done, or for very process-driven jobs that are task orientated. And who wants a process-driven, task-orientated job?

I can only speak to my Gen Z'ers, but they absolutely value not being bound to an office and they love the TRUST shown in their ability to deliver without being tied to time or location based contracts (this also holds true for my millenials). We work to outcomes at The Find Your Flex Group, something more businesses will need to do as they automate, leaving digital workers to their outputs and creating outcomes for their human workers will be the biggest change in '24. Where the humans deliver their outcomes shouldn't really come into the conversation. Office or Home, it's what works best for the individual to deliver their outcomes and companies must adapt to that. 2024 is about re-invention and Darwinism. It's survival of the fittest, and that means agile, lean and flexible - something that is not achievable for businesses carrying a shed load of fixed costs (ie. an office bursting to the seems).

There has definitely been a visible shift in attitudes to fully remote working, with many larger companies enforcing a return to the office. I think that Gen-Z does appreciate the benefits of being in the office - learning through osmosis, the social aspect, and embracing the culture.

However, I think their preference is for hybrid work rather than full-time office work. For our staff it's a way of working that they love, offering a lot of benefits. From the flexibility to control where you work, reduced commuting costs, and an increased ability to juggle "life admin" - it's the simple things that make a difference. If employers can strike that balance, it should appeal to all.

We are still seeing a very high demand for remote working by younger workers. However, this is being tempered by a recognition that they need access to coaching and mentoring. The problem is that many businesses are simply not able to deliver this remotely which is driving many back into office-based environments.
The remote working genie is very much out of the box but many businesses are still either trying to adapt to it, or are trying to ignore it. The result will be a short term boom in office working again but in the long term hybrid working is more likely to become the overall norm. Gen Z are used to communicating online, they have grown up surrounded by technology so interacting in a business environment remotely is far more normal to them than previous generations.
Businesses that are able to deliver training, coaching and mentoring remotely will not only have a lead in attracting new talent but will also be leaner, operating on a lower-cost model than those that do not.

Covid proved to us that hybrid working is perfect. Family commitments and other things can create stress if you are forced to be in an office every day, but flexible working can make such a difference to a happy workforce. We all feel the same here, 25 year olds and 52 year olds!

We are working with many businesses who are engaging with Gen Z by creating a fantastic office and work environment and culture.

The key observation is that coming into the office needs to make sense, and have purpose. Putting in ping pong tables, and offering after work beers and pizzas are not the way to go. Joining colleagues for Company updates, round ups, mentoring and development session are ticking the right boxes.

Whilst remote and flexible working are still on a wish list, opportunity to learn from colleagues and interact with mentors and leaders are especially favoured, especially if these interactions lead to a greater shared purpose and personal and financial development.

The other key advice that we are offering to organisations is to not make the mistake of treating Gen Z like millennials, its a very different ball game.