Younger Workers More Keen to Return to the Office

Workers’ willingness to return to the office is influenced by what generation they are part of, a study by Cushman & Wakefield found.

Data from the company’s Experience per Square Foot workplace experience survey conducted globally between 2021 and 2022 reveals a general divide when it comes to workplaces preferences, with younger workers more keen on office time than their older colleagues.

Approximately half of Millennials (50%) and Gen X (48%) prefer to come into the office at least one day per week, while nearly two-thirds of Baby Boomers (60%) prefer to work remotely.

Gen Z is the most keen on the office with nearly two-thirds (63%) of such workers stating a preference to come into the office at least one day per week. Nearly a third (30%) prefers to come into the office three or more days per week while another third (33%) prefers a hybrid model.

“Despite these differences, all age cohorts cite socializing with coworkers as the top benefit of working in an office environment, while the avoidance of a commute is the most compelling reason to work from home,” said Bryan Berthold, global lead for workplace experience at Cushman & Wakefield.

“Gen Z and Millennials are more likely to come to the office to socialize, collaborate, and separate work from their personal life, while Gen X prefers to come in to stay up-to-date with what’s happening in the business and to better manage their team. Baby Boomers, on the other hand, cite accessing resources as their main reason for coming into the office, though many also see no benefits to doing so,” he added.

When it comes to working from home, Gen Z and Millennials are more likely to prefer a more casual environment and enjoy greater flexibility when they work. Gen X prefers to work from home for better work-life balance and to better focus, while Baby Boomers cite better focus and feeling safer as their main reasons for remote work, according to the survey.