Quartz
A new survey shows that 91% of Gen Z employees crave more in-person connections, contradicting the belief that they prefer remote work. Many feel isolated and disconnected due to excessive reliance on technology, leading to higher stress and burnout. Employers should create opportunities for face-to-face interactions and improve intergenerational collaboration.
Author: Ben Kesslen
It’s often said that digitally native Gen Z-ers prefer to work remotely, but a new survey is challenging that assumption.
Freeman and The Harris Poll asked 1,824 U.S. adults with white-collar jobs questions about the workplace and found that 91% of Gen Z wants more “in person opportunities to connect with others at their company.”
Many reported feeling disconnected from their workplaces and said they want real life interactions with people in their industries which they believe will help their careers.
Many also feel there is too much emphasis on technology. Of those surveyed, 69% said technology has made them feel “less connected and more isolated.” And 79% of Gen Z believes companies “focus more on technology to connect people than building in-person connections.”
That isolation is making the workplace a drag for many members of Gen Z, who reported being stressed, depressed, and burnt out in a recent report from MetLife.
MetLife (MET) found that less than one in three Gen Z employees feel holistically healthy, meaning they don’t think they have decent mental, financial, social, and physical health.
And things seemed to be getting worse for Gen Z, at least according to their own perception. When MetLife compared their findings to workers aged 21-25 surveyed in 2018, Gen Z employees today feel 5% less successful, 8% less happy, 8% less engaged, 11% more stressed and 9% more overwhelmed than their counterparts seven years ago.
Freeman said that employers looking to make things better for Gen Z workers should do more to connect their employees of different generations, think outside the box for networking activities, and invest in in-person Gen Z-specific programming.
Credits: TCA, LLC.