Four in 10 Gen Z employees want to work in an office, new research has found.
Young workers aged between 16 and 24 say they feel lonely after starting their careers during COVID lockdowns which saw a boom in the number of people working from home.
They say this has led them to miss out on key bonding opportunities such as post-shift drinks and social interaction.
A survey of 8,000 British adults by health insurance firm Bupa found that Gen Z suffered the most from loneliness, particularly those who have made careers out of being social media influencers.
Nearly 50 per cent of influencers said they were planning a return to a more traditional working role in the research.
Some 45 per cent of Gen Z workers said they wanted more social bonding in their next jobs, compared to just a quarter of those in all other age brackets.
Workplace experts have now urged employers to provide young staff with the option to increase physical interaction.
Tom Brown, 24, said he quit his remote job because he missed seeing people on a day-to-day basis and now works in an office.
Many young workers aged between 16 and 24 are desperately looking to get back into the office after years of working from home, according to new research (Stock Image)
He told The Times: ‘While there were upsides to working remotely, the downside was the limitations on social interaction, and I’ve now learnt I’m not prepared to compromise on this.
‘When looking for a new job I specifically applied for roles with a physical office where I have supportive colleagues, can socialise at lunchtimes and meet friends in town in the evenings.
‘My wellbeing is already improving as a result.’
Ben Harrison, director of the Work Foundation, told the publication that young people’s experience of work had ‘shifted significantly in recent years’.
He added: ‘Already more likely to find themselves in insecure employment when they enter the labour market, the rapid introduction of new technologies and a rise in hybrid and remote working practices can risk many young people feeling disconnected from their colleagues and employer.’
In recent months, some Gen Z employees have gone viral for sharing tips to online followers on how to avoid doing work in the office.
Gen Z workers say working from home has led them to miss out on key bonding opportunities such as post-shift drinks and social interaction (Stock Image)
One facade known as ‘task masking’ saw one influencer post to TikTok with tips on how to trick bosses by simply looking busy.
Youngsters were urged to get involved in performative tasks such as typing loudly, wearing AirPods and walking quickly in a bid to appear productive.
Gen Z have previously jumped on the ‘quiet quitting’ craze, which means doing the bare minimum at work, while others have said they’re ‘micro-retiring’ by taking months off at a time.
Many employers have cracked down on remote working in recent times, with Amazon, JP Morgan and retail chain Primark just some who are driving such initiatives.
It was reported earlier this year that nine in ten British workers have been made to come back into the office as the working-from-home era wanes.
