Young Employees Are Resistant To Returning To The Office

Companies are trying to bring their employees back into the office, but younger professionals are less than thrilled about this prospect.

David Gross, an executive at advertising agency Anchor Worldwide, recently informed workers that they would be required to return to the office three days a week. This began a difficult conversation that the company and several others have been experiencing around the world.

Over the past year-and-a-half, workers have become accustomed to skipping their commutes and working from the comfort of their home. This has caused division among older managers who are eager to bring employees back, and young professionals who believe they can work just as effectively from home.

“Frankly, they don’t know what they’re missing, because we have a strong culture,” said Gross. “Creative development and production requires face-to-face collaboration. It’s hard to have a brainstorm on a Zoom call.”

However, some companies are listening loud and clear to these growing concerns and are adopting more flexibility to usher in a new era of the workplace.

According to a survey from the Conference Board, 55% of Millennials, 45% of Generation Xers and 36% of Baby Boomers questioned the necessity of returning to the office.

“Among the generations, Millennials are the most concerned about their health and psychological well-being,” said Rebecca L. Ray, executive vice president for human capital at the Conference Board. “Companies would be well served to be as flexible as possible.”