Gen Z doesn't like working from home Contrary to popular belief, younger people demand social spaces, not just flexibility

Much has been said about Gen Z, especially regarding their approach to the world of work. Quiet quitting, smart working, and home working. These are terms defining a historical period in which young people are entering the job market for the first time. In general, Gen Z has often been portrayed as less interested in employment, or at least more resistant to traditional work dynamics. However, a recent study commissioned by Gallup challenges some of these assumptions, revealing that Gen Z workers are actually the least likely generation to prefer fully remote work. In fact, the data shows that only 23% of Gen Z employees in the U.S. say they prefer fully remote work, compared to 35% of all older generations. Behind this apparent contradiction lie deeper motivations related to the need for connection, growth, and support. Gallup’s research highlights a potentially alarming insight: Gen Z is the loneliest generation in the workplace. Young workers surveyed report the lowest levels of well-being and are nearly twice as likely to feel lonely most of the day compared to Generation X. For many of them, then, the office represents more than just a workplace: it becomes a key opportunity for connection and hands-on learning. Paradoxically, though, even when they work in hybrid modes, the days they choose to come into the office often don't align with those of their colleagues. According to the data, although 66% of hybrid Gen Z workers are required to be in the office a few times a week, this fragmentation significantly reduces opportunities for meaningful interaction.

To better understand Gen Z’s tendency toward physical presence, it helps to compare it with the attitude of the generation that preceded them in the workforce. The comparison with Millennials highlights significant differences in their approach to remote work. While Gen Z seems to be leaning toward a balance between physical presence and flexibility, Millennials show a much stronger attachment to remote work. And the numbers speak for themselves: according to Gallup, 41% of hybrid Millennials say they would look for a new job if they could no longer work remotely, whereas that figure drops to 32% for Gen Z. Even in terms of productivity perception, significant differences emerge. Nearly half of Millennials—49%—say they feel more productive working from home or outside the office, compared to 37% of Gen Z. The latter, on the other hand, seem to assign greater value to being physically present: 32% say they are more productive in the office, and another 31% say the work location makes no difference. These numbers reflect a specific generational reality – Millennials have now fully integrated remote work as part of their professional normalcy, having experienced it during critical years of their careers and also benefited from the office. Gen Z, by contrast, is younger and often at the beginning of their professional journey, tends to see the office as an essential resource for learning.

So the relationship between Gen Z and work appears to be leaning toward an intentional hybrid model, designed to balance flexibility with connection, development, and well-being. As reported by the Financial Times, Gen Z is completely redefining professional expectations, seeking environments that value transparency, sustainability, diversity, and inclusion. This change fits into a broader context marked by the phenomenon of the “Great Detachment”, where many workers—Gen Z foremost among them—adopt behaviors like quiet quitting or quiet vacationing to protect their mental health and work-life balance. According to the New York Post, this movement reflects a growing disconnect from traditional work, with an estimated 30% of the workforce considered “not engaged”, resulting in a global productivity loss of around $8.8 trillion. Gen Z may be the most studied and analyzed generation in history, yet it continues to surprise with seemingly contradictory behaviors—as is only natural. On one hand, they are described as digitally native, inclined toward remote work, or worse, lazy; on the other, the data tells a more nuanced story.