Will Gen Z drive the remote work culture?
Employers want people back at their desks. However, the sentiment isn’t shared equally among generations.
Know who you’re dealing with: In contrast to previous generations, Gen Z is a digital citizen. Social media profiles were created for them before birth and iPhones were already a common sight by the time they reached ten. Most of them have graduated through online exams. They have entered the workforce in a time when technology allows them to be productive from anywhere. Remote work is the norm they’ve always known.
Why it matters: Gen Z is expected to account for 27% of the workforce by 2025. Unlike generations past, their perspective on work culture is heavily influenced by flexible work policies and work-life balance. 72% of Gen Z are most likely to leave or consider leaving a job if their employer does not offer a flexible work policy.
(Source: LI Survey)
The priorities are different. When dissecting the prime motivations for choosing remote work, Gen Z unabashedly declares, “To be able to pursue my hobbies and other passions,” “To take more control over my personal goals and development,” and “To have flexibility in my schedule”. Put bluntly, this mobile generation craves dominion over what work they do, who they do it for, and precisely when they choose to do it.
Here’s a biggie: Gen Z is normalising non-traditional career paths and flexible work hours. The emergence of roles such as social media influencers or content creators is the smoking gun supporting these findings.
“The new generation is less committed to jobs because changing jobs doesn’t carry as high a cost as it used to,” says Jamie Kohn, a Gartner research director. “It’s swapping one laptop out for another.” All the more reasons for employers to work towards employee retention.
