Generation Z workers think going to the office is a “waste of time”: survey

According to a study by German HR technology company Personio, half of Generation Z said they would quit their job if they were forced to come to work more than three days a week. In comparison, only 39% of 2,000 employees of all ages said the same. Daily Mail reported.

A similar number of Gen Z workers said going to the office was a “waste of time and money,” according to the survey. Employees’ responses align with companies’ experiences. Of the 1,000 HR managers surveyed, more than half said employees have not wanted to return to the office full-time since COVID restrictions ended.

Many young people entered the workforce either during the pandemic or in the years that followed, when remote working was widespread in companies across all sectors, and may have become accustomed to a way of working that was not as widespread in previous years.

Read more: Generation Z needs more than just a paycheck at work – this is how I deliver it as CEO

Another reason for this demographic’s reluctance to return to the office full-time is years of high inflation, which has led to higher gasoline, car and restaurant prices.

But regardless of younger workers’ wishes, companies are desperately trying to get them back where their bosses can see them. On Monday, Amazon became the latest major company to impose a five-day return-to-office requirement. Companies across industries, such as BlackRock, Chipotle and Disney, have forced their employees to report to the office more than three days a week.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in August, more than 92% of workers ages 16 to 24 did not work from home at all. Only 3.2% worked from home full-time, with the rest working a hybrid schedule.

Some tech-savvy Gen Z workers are making the most of the return to the office by posting videos on social media that brighten up their workday, garnering hundreds of thousands of views. To make the mundane workday more exciting, some workers have “yassified” their office cubicles with decorations that reflect their personalities.

Others, like marketing coordinator and social media influencer Alicia Winterboer, are trying to break the stigma of a 9-to-5 job with videos highlighting their routines. Winterboer told Wall Street Journal that although many young people glorify self-employment, the American business world also has its advantages.

“It’s OK to work 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and it’s OK to have that routine,” Winterboer said.