Gen Z redefines the workplace
Born between approximately 1997 and 2012, Gen Z has grown up in a digital world. Unlike earlier generations who saw work as security or status, Gen Z seeks meaning. Research from IWG shows that 55% are actively looking for more meaning in their work. They want to make an impact, develop themselves, and see their work as an expression of their personality.
Flexibility as a foundation
For Gen Z, flexible working is a basic requirement, not a perk. According to IWG, 40% perform better when they can tailor their workplace to their rhythm and tasks. It’s not just Gen Z that thinks this way; 52% of hybrid workers also see that older colleagues need more logical work structures. Flexibility does not only mean working from home, but freedom of choice: headquarters, coworking space, or home.
This freedom of choice requires clear agreements, defined frameworks, and space for autonomy. Flexible working 2.0 means policies that adapt to people, not the other way around.
Asynchronous and connected working
Gen Z communicates at their own pace, whether that’s late at night or in between appointments. But this constant availability has a downside; 36% struggle to disconnect, and 38% experience performance pressure when working from home. Employers must therefore focus on output-oriented work, trust, and the right tools. Hybrid collaboration offers an opportunity, provided it is supported by team rituals and clear agreements about availability.
Proximity over presence
The idea that Gen Z wants to abolish the office is not true. They do want to abolish the commute. 36% say that working closer to home reduces stress. And 50% experience that local workplaces improve the balance between work and private life. Satellite offices and coworking hubs closer to residential areas provide a solution and stimulate productivity, sustainability, and job satisfaction.
What organizations can do now
Employers who want to attract and retain Gen Z must critically examine their work models. Not cosmetically, but structurally. What can you do concretely:
- Offer real freedom of choice in workplace and working hours
- Redefine productivity: focus on output
- Support hybrid collaboration with tools and team agreements
- Invest in proximity through local workplaces
- Make meaning a topic of discussion in the workplace
By organizing work in a way that aligns with Gen Z, and thereby also other generations, a culture emerges in which well-being, engagement, and performance go hand in hand.
