- More than half of Gen Z workers feel more productive working from home
- 34% of Gen Z workers believe their workplace doesn’t allow them to concentrate effectively
- The findings are the result of a survey conducted by Diamond Interiors and YouGov.
A new survey finds that Gen Z employees believe they are more productive working from home than in the workplace, which runs counter to those trying to bring people back to the office.
The Diamond Interiors report notes that focusing on work is widely recognized as improving productivity, which could explain the challenge for Gen Z. The home can be quiet, distractions managed and, with the right setup, focused productivity can enable rapid completion and potentially the ability to finish work sooner. With a busy office commute, this may seem more difficult to achieve.
With 53% saying they feel more productive working from home rather than in a noisy office, the challenge here may not be so much attracting people to the office, but rather what the office actually represents.
20 year olds don’t like the office
Over the years, office environments have evolved from closed rooms to open operations, sometimes occupying an entire floor without walls. Noise – for example in call centers – can be considerable and the possibilities for distraction build up quickly. Add to that the period of mandatory remote work from 2020 to 2023, which may have also included a period of college study for Gen Z, and you have a generation that is unprepared to handle distractions.
The report highlights that 53% of respondents in the Gen Z cohort believe that working from home makes them more productive, and 34% of them blame workplace design.
“These findings highlight a significant challenge facing employers,” noted Rebecca Waller, head of design at Diamond Interiors. “While offices remain incredibly valuable for collaboration, many employees tell us they don’t always feel like they have the right environment to focus on individual tasks.
“In many cases, this is not necessarily because employees prefer to be at home, but rather because the home environment often provides greater control over noise, interruptions and comfort. »
Is this the end of the office?
The big question isn’t “how to successfully leave the office” – at least not yet. Rather, it seems that offices don’t offer the level of comfort and concentration that Gen Z employees need. As Waller says, “This is not necessarily because employees prefer to be at home, but because home environments often offer greater control over noise, interruptions and comfort. »
She emphasizes that workspaces should support ways of working that suit everyone, with open layouts balanced with quieter areas, environments that can avoid distractions. If employers expect Gen Z team members to perform at their best, it will be a choice between working from home and finding a workplace layout that promotes productivity, not distractions.
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