March 2025
The Research & Insights Team
The workplace is changing, but for employees under 25, the office remains central to their working experience.
While hybrid and remote working patterns continue to evolve, data suggests that the youngest generation of employees derives significant value from in-person environments.
With 51% of workers under 25 spending most of their working week in the office (3-5 days), it is clear that physical workplaces play an essential role in shaping their professional development and engagement.
Unlike their predecessors, Gen Z employees have begun their careers at a time when remote work is normalised. However, their experience diverges significantly from that of older colleagues. A striking 78% of employees under 25 believe that the office contributes to a sense of community.
This is not just a social preference but a factor that materially influences performance. Those who feel a strong sense of workplace community report a productivity level of 91%, whereas those who do not experience this connection see productivity levels drop to 43%.
The disparity highlights a fundamental truth: for younger employees, the office is more than just a physical space.
It is an environment where professional identity is formed, skills are developed, and meaningful relationships are established. The importance of ‘learning from others’ is significantly better supported in an office setting, with 92% of employees saying that this activity is supported in the office, compared to just 74% at home. That leaves more than a quarter of younger employees feeling unsupported in this activity.
Learning is a social process, and younger employees, at the start of their careers, place high value on the tacit knowledge gained through observation, mentorship, and informal exchange, something that is difficult to replicate in an era where digital communication dominates.
Despite the appeal of flexibility, remote work presents distinct challenges for younger employees. The home environment, for instance, is not always conducive to professional efficiency.
A significant 62% of employees under 25 lack a dedicated work room or office at home, introducing distractions and blurring the boundaries between personal and professional life, which might lead to a more negative experience working from home. Moreover, 30% of employees under 25 report feeling disconnected from their organisation when working remotely, a figure that speaks to the limitations of digital engagement in replicating the depth of in-person interactions.
While digital tools facilitate communication, they do not necessarily create the depth of connection that younger employees require. The absence of immediate access to mentors, spontaneous learning opportunities, and a shared professional culture can hinder both individual development and overall team cohesion. Given that those employees who feel connected to their workplace demonstrate markedly higher productivity, this is an area that employers may want to consider when structuring work models.
Gen Z is often characterised as the “instant feedback generation”, and their workplace expectations reflect this reality.
Regular feedback is not merely a preference but an essential component of their engagement. Employees under 25 want to receive regular feedback, reinforcing the importance of real-time guidance and direction. Without structured feedback mechanisms, younger employees may risk feeling disconnected from organisational goals and unsure of their professional progress.
The office provides a natural framework for feedback, whether through formal performance discussions or informal moments of recognition and coaching. While remote work tools facilitate scheduled check-ins, they often lack the fluidity and responsiveness of in-person exchanges. Understanding this generational preference is not about catering to demands; it is about recognizing the mechanisms that drive engagement and productivity.
The data presents a clear conclusion: workplace strategies and policies must be informed by an understanding of how different groups of employees interact with their environments. For this generation of employees, connection, community, and structured learning opportunities are fundamental to their professional success. Organisations may risk disengagement, lower productivity, and even higher turnover among their youngest employees if they fail to recognise their needs.
Hybrid models will continue to evolve, but they must do so with an awareness of how younger employees interact with their environments.
The future of work is not just about flexibility; it is about creating conditions in which all employees, regardless of generation, can perform at their best. Instead, a nuanced, data-driven understanding of employee needs will determine the future of work. Because a workforce that feels connected, supported, and engaged is ultimately a workforce that thrives.
