The call for employees to return to the office is leading to a battle between younger workers and their employers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Companies worldwide, including Dell, Tata Consultancy Services and even Zoom, have demanded that their employees return to the office. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The reasons put forward by businesses who want employees in the office may vary but there are common themes, such as lower productivity and a struggling or absent company culture,” said Gary Silbermann from hiring platform One Degree. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“While these concerns are valid and most certainly the lived experiences of C-suites trying to drive the bottom line, as the workforce demographics shift to younger generations it will become more difficult to enforce an onsite office work culture.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gen Z, those born between the mid-to-late 1990s and early 2010s, are set up to make up 40% of the workforce in the next six years, eventually becoming the dominant demographic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
With the generation growing up in a digitally enabled world, remote work feels second nature to many. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Moreover, many younger workers don’t see how the structured nine-to-five work hours results in financial stability or wealth creation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“They can\u2019t afford bonds; they struggle to pay rent. They see their working parents constantly stressed and exhausted. 50% of their parents are divorced. Quality time with their parents is rare. It\u2019s a model which doesn\u2019t inspire them because they see the damage that it has done to their families \u2013 and to them.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many are against commuting due to the environmental impact, while others can’t afford to live in inter cities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Younger workers are also motivated by short work stints and project-based work, with Gen Z workers expected to change jobs up to 10 times between the ages of 18 and 34, meaning that they are less fearful of threats from their employers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n