A new survey conducted by The Times has highlighted a significant shift in the working preferences of Generation Z, revealing that only 1 in 10 young people want to work in the office full-time. The survey, part of The Times’ Generation Z project, indicates that the Covid-19 pandemic has dramatically reshaped attitudes towards the workplace, with more than half of young adults admitting they consider themselves lazier than their parents’ generation.
According to the research, 21% of Gen Zers currently work most or all of their hours from home. While just 40% stick to a traditional five-day office week, another 18% spend a minority of their time working remotely. The desire for more flexibility is apparent, with 17% of respondents indicating they would prefer to work from home all the time, and 24% desiring a primarily remote work schedule.
These findings suggest that younger workers are opting for less office time compared to the broader population. Previous research by YouGov has shown that about half of the general population has returned to full-time office work, while only 40% of Gen Z have done the same. Furthermore, younger workers are less likely to work from home full-time than older adults, the survey revealed.
James Toomey, a 25-year-old advertising professional, shared his own hybrid work experience, balancing office and home working. He noted that while in-person office time is essential for building relationships, he values the flexibility of working from home, especially on Mondays and Fridays.
“I think a three-day office week would be perfect. The culture was much better at my previous workplace when the minimum office requirement was three days,” Toomey explained.
The Times survey also explored Gen Z’s self-perception, with more than half of respondents (52%) acknowledging they are lazier than their parents. Only 5% felt they worked harder than previous generations. Despite this, 40% of Gen Zers believe they have more opportunities than their parents, and only 13% think they understand hardship more deeply than older people.
Experts, however, are warning that remote work could potentially hinder young people’s career development. Claire McCartney, senior skills adviser at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, emphasized that younger workers, especially those early in their careers, may miss out on critical networking and mentorship opportunities that come with in-office work.
The Times’ survey also uncovered the lasting impact of the pandemic on Generation Z, with 33% reporting that Covid had negatively affected their employment, and 16% still feeling those effects today. In addition, a significant portion of respondents (22%) stated that the pandemic had a lasting negative impact on their education.
Reflecting on the broader social consequences of the pandemic, 40% of Gen Z respondents agreed that lockdown restrictions did more harm than good, while only 32% believed they were beneficial. Over a third of respondents (36%) felt that younger people were affected more severely by the pandemic than older generations.
