According to a new study by BSI, and the think-tank ResPublica, younger workers who began working after the pandemic are expecting to earn more for full-time office work.
The Global Workforce Entrants Study interviewed 4,700 people that have begun work since the pandemic.
The survey found that 37% prefer hybrid work and only 16% prefer remote working. Nearly half of those working hybrid or remotely (49%) say they would quit their jobs if required to work on-site.
Only 27% of respondents said they wanted to be based primarily on site, and another 20% stated that they would like to be based mainly on site.
The majority of respondents saw the benefits of face-to-face work for a part of the working week. 60% said hybrid jobs should include ‘anchor days’ where teams get together.
Over seven out of ten (71%) respondents said they thought jobs that require a full-time on-site presence should allow for other flexibility, such as ‘core hours’ policies where employees only have to be on the job during certain times.
Nearly two thirds (64%) thought that full-time jobs in offices should pay more.
Ninety-nine per cent of those who commute more than one hour to their office but work remotely or in hybrid roles said that they could save money by working remotely.
A third of respondents (34%) reported that remote work negatively affected their mental health during the pandemic. However, almost three-fifths of respondents (57%) believed that hybrid structures were good for mental wellbeing.
One in five people (22%) say that social anxiety will influence their decision to accept a new role, which is based on site. One in four people who work remotely already experience this.
Nevertheless, workers from generation Z are happy to have the opportunity to socialize at work. Nearly three quarters (73%) of generation Z workers made friends at their first job and more than fifty percent (55%) were able to find a mentor.
Susan Taylor Martin is the chief executive officer of BSI. She said, “Five years after the pandemic, organizations are still struggling to find the most effective methods of working.”
The study was commissioned by BSI to provide a comprehensive picture of a group of people who began their careers in a time of significant change. Many of them had never experienced the ‘typical’ patterns of work that existed before the pandemic.
The results are a powerful counterpoint to the narrative of a lazily disposed generation. Instead, we found a cohort that is very thoughtful about what they expect from their lives and jobs and who understands the trade-offs.
She said that organizations looking to retain and attract new employees would benefit by “starting from an understanding and empathy place”.
Kate Field, Global Head of Human and Social Sustainability at BSI said that the survey revealed a “highly pragmatist cohort”.
The hybrid generation is now able to see what the world of work really is and what it has to offer. They are mindful of their health and wellbeing and value consistency, balance and moderation.
This is also true for employers, a healthy, happy workforce, inclusive of those with visible or invisible disabilities, mental health needs, and neurodiversity, is a more innovative and productive workforce. It is also good for employers, as a happy, healthy workforce that includes those with disabilities or mental health issues, or who have neurodiversity, will be more productive and innovative.
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