The youngest generation–Gen Z, aka Zoomers–are sick of working from home, a new survey has found.
Just 23% of Gen Zs say remote work is “very” or “extremely” important to them, according to the National Society of High School Scholars’ Career Interest Survey. The poll of nearly 11,500 young people suggests remote schooling during COVID, and remote onboarding in their first jobs, may have put them off remote work.
Only 13% prefer remote training and onboarding, while 63% would rather do it face to face. Remote work isn’t even in the top three priorities of Gen Z job seekers; fair treatment for all employees, quality of life and flexibility, and corporate social responsibility are all more important to them.
They’re not shy about leaving a role that doesn’t satisfy them: 65% are planning to leave their jobs in the next year, versus 40% across all generations, according to a survey by Lever.
Jobs that offer a clear path to career growth are also a priority for Gen Zs, with 40% saying they’d take a 5% pay cut for such a role. Far from wanting to muck about on their phones all day, these youngsters are ambitious and want face-to-face mentoring and networking opportunities – which have been sorely lacking for those starting their careers during the pandemic.
Entering the working world via a laptop in their bedrooms has left Gen Z struggling to adjust to workplace norms and build working relationships at this critical point in their careers. Despite being digital natives, they’ve found the all-digital onboarding experience less meaningful than face-to-face contact, and the lack of guidance has left them plagued by anxiety over minor questions like the correct protocol for Slack messaging.
Team bonding not only boosts productivity, but also reduces stress and improves job satisfaction and “psychological safety” --that magical feeling of being safe to be yourself and make mistakes that Google found was common to the most outstanding teams. Young people entering the workplace for the first time are more vulnerable to self-doubt and are hit hardest by the lack of human connection.
The new research offers some positive news both for young employees and for employers: going back to the office (at least part of the time) might actually be a win-win for everyone involved.