Business Brief
Why Gen Z wants more office work
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Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios
Gen Z workers are chasing more time in the office.
Why it matters: The generation with a reputation for preferring fully remote work is actually the least likely to want it — reflecting deeper worries about connection and growth, recent Gallup polling shows.
By the numbers: Fewer than a quarter (23%) of remote-capable Gen Z employees say they'd prefer fully remote work, compared with 35% among each older generation, according to Gallup's 2025 survey.
- And Gen Z is the most likely to want employees in the office more often.
State of play: Many say they've had enough of working from home, alone, possibly in their sweatpants.
Loneliness is a major driver of the shift back to the office: 27% of Gen Z workers say they felt lonely "a lot" of the previous day, nearly double Gen X and close to triple baby boomers, per Gallup.
- Career advancement is another. "As employers implicitly or even explicitly prioritize in-person workers for promotions and career opportunities, remote and hybrid workers are being left behind," Glassdoor researchers wrote in November.
What they're saying: "Older workers already have established relationships, so when they work hybrid or remote, they tend not to lose" them, Jim Harter, chief scientist for workplace management and wellbeing at Gallup, tells Axios.
- "Younger workers are still establishing those relationships in the workplace, and it's hard to do that from a distance."
Meanwhile, few Gen Z workers have young children, per Gallup, which may also make in-person work easier.
- More are now looking for love among the cubicles, Business Insider reports.
The big picture: On social media, some twenty-somethings say cutting back on remote work boosted their mental health and productivity. Others say the freedom of WFH still outweighs the tradeoffs.
- One particular debate went viral in December: Which is better, a $240,000 in-office job or a $120,000 one at home?
Reality check: Working entirely in-person remains the least popular option across generations, Gallup polling shows. Hybrid is the clear winner.
- That hasn't stopped a growing number of major companies from calling in employees five days a week.
What we're watching: The "girlboss" revival is reaching the cubicle.
- Pinterest searches for "chic cubicle decor" surged over 1,500% between April and June last year, according to internal data.