When it comes to WFH, young people face very different challenges from their older counterparts.
20% of the global workforce could work the majority of its time away from the office — and be just as effective. However, interesting differences emerge between generations, and geographies. Transitioning work away from the office comes with its set of challenges for Generation Z and Millennials. What role does the office of the future play? And how do we create healthy remote workplaces for young people?
1. Where Young People are Pro-Office
In the UK (and this may well hold true in other geographies with similar lifestyle considerations), 37% of Gen Z-ers miss the office as a place to concentrate and get work done, compared to a lower percentage of Millennials (25.6%) and Gen X & Baby Boomers (19.8%). Similar insights are reported in the US.
A probable explanation is the current household situation. A much higher proportion of younger workers share housing with parents, roommates, or friends compared to their older counterparts and most have realised the difficulty of working effectively in busy environments.
2. Generations Enjoy WFH For Very Different Reasons
People enjoy WFH for very different reasons. Young people enjoy the financial and environmental benefits of remote work, Millennials and Gen X with familial responsibilities have appreciated the extra flexibility it offers around childcare.
3. Asia Pacific is Pro-WFH — once or twice a week
82% of Asia Pacific workers voiced a preference to work from home 1+ day a week after COVID-19; no one wants to work from home more than 3 days a week.
Employees in APAC show a stronger desire to work from home after COVID-19 compared to those in EMEA and the Americas. On average, 63% of respondents indicated that their work-life balance has improved since working from home.
Designing Hybrid Workplaces for Young Workers
For many organisations across Asia Pacific, the WFH experience has been so positive that they’ve now chosen to go fully remote. Others advocate strongly for physical workplaces, especially in Asian cities where house sizes are relatively small. Many organisations are now opting for a more “hybrid” approach. When designing workplace experiences for young people without adequate at-home infrastructure, focus attention on creating connection and community (plus tech and managerial support) to minimise feelings of alienation, while creating opportunities to network and grow. Improved employee experiences are possible — even with a mix of on-site and remote working.
