Gen Z employees are asking for more office time, not less
New survey data complicates the assumption that younger workers want to stay remote, showing Gen Z is now more likely than older generations to want to be in the office.
Younger employees are often assumed to be the most resistant to office life, but recent survey data tells a different story: fewer than a quarter of remote-capable Gen Z workers say they would prefer to be fully remote, a notably smaller share than older generations report.
Loneliness appears to be a major driver. Gen Z workers report feeling lonely on a given day at nearly double the rate of Gen X employees and close to triple the rate of baby boomers, according to the survey cited.
Career concerns compound the effect. As companies increasingly favor in-person employees for promotions and stretch assignments, younger workers early in their careers have more to lose by staying invisible at home.
For founders building early-career teams, the finding suggests that in-office days can double as a retention and development tool for junior staff, not just a mandate handed down from the top.