By Sarah Hagen, office agency partner at Knight Frank Glasgow
Different generations have always expected something new from the workplace. But, in the case of Gen Z – people born from 1996 onwards – the digital revolution and the experience of the pandemic has shaped their expectations in a unique way.
The experience of entering the workforce during lockdown – or even spending the first few formative years working/learning mostly from home – has left an indelible mark on what they now expect from working life.
The good news is there is a growing body of evidence that Gen Z does want to spend time in the office. According to research from Hubble, people under the age of 26 were actually the most ‘pro-office’ of any age group – in large part because they want to learn from more experienced colleagues.
Those findings were backed up by Deloitte’s Global 2022 Gen Z and Millennial Survey, where 82% of Gen Z said they prefer to be hybrid or always work in the office. In addition, it showed they don’t love the idea of constantly being in an office, which only reinforces the need for a flexible approach from employers.
Now, with the Flexible Working Bill achieving Royal Assent, it is not just something employers should consider – they are legally obligated to accommodate requests. Employees have the right to ask for flexible working from day one, and employers will have to provide specific reasons if they reject it.
Flexibility is also about what people can expect whilst in the office. Gen Z is the first generation to grow up fully immersed in technology, therefore integration of technology is key. They are also incredibly environmentally conscious so sustainably in design and in use is imperative.
Quiet spaces are especially important for a generation that has often had limited ‘IRL’ professional interaction because of Covid-19 and is increasingly aware of the need to support neuro-divergence in the workplace. This could mean screen or tech-free areas or spaces dedicated specifically to relaxation, team work or social interaction between colleagues.
These attributes and values are not only applicable to Gen Z. The office has to be seen as a destination worth going to – not only from a functional perspective, but aesthetically too. Workplaces have to look cool enough to share online and be an ‘Instaworthy’ – said the millennial – place others would want to be.
To do that, occupiers will need to invest and reinvent or reposition the spaces they offer, much in the way retailers have had to attract people back to shopping centres and thoroughfares after years of largely relying on e-commerce. Savvy landlords are already enhancing the employee experience, through boosted amenity and wellness spaces and smart tech.
Some of these trends were emerging pre-2020, but the pandemic has taken them to a new level. The last three years have been marked by huge amounts of change, but one thing is clear: offices need to be much more than just a place you go to work, if they are going to support the business leaders of the future in their formative working years.
