Younger generations prefer office working, research shows

Business communications company Maintel has explored the work preferences of younger and older employees. Their research found younger workers under 35 are more likely to feel productive when working from an office, compared to just 19 per cent of workers over 55.

The research surveyed 1,000 employed adults in the UK aged 18 and over. The results revealed why younger workers prefer to work from the office - with the main benefit being able to receive face-to-face support from experienced co-workers.

Challenge

Over 25 per cent of respondents said they’d find it a challenge to get in contact with colleagues or managers if they worked remotely.

Wanting hard work to be noticed was also found to be a possible reason for workers preferring the office.

The report suggested older workers may prefer working remotely as a result of having more responsibilities at home and the need to be more efficient with time.

Flexible work is being implemented by more businesses, with over 70 per cent of employees saying the company they work for has a good flexible work policy. This has led to 64 per cent of respondents saying they don’t feel micromanaged when working remotely.

Boost

Maintel Chief Technology Officer Rufus Grig commented that rather than forcing the blanket adoption of either office or home work, businesses should be flexible and allow employees to work where they feel productive and ensure they are provided with the correct tools.

By doing this, businesses can expect a boost in employee performance, recruitment and retention he added.