“We call Gen Z the ‘activist generation,’ and we’re seeing them demanding more accountability,” Fraser said, adding that gender-neutral restrooms, environmentally friendly They cited amenities such as refreshment options and office space that increases opportunities for community building. She also said: “Before the pandemic, people had heightened expectations for non-work-related moments; [more strictly] Working. ”
Additionally, with a growing number of young people making up a large portion of the workforce, not only are they not excited about the office culture of the past, they have never experienced it.
“I’ve never known an office culture that wasn’t remote,” says Jamie Masterson, 24, a digital marketing specialist who joined the US in 2021 at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. “I’ve heard about the infamous ‘fun’ activities at the office: cool downtime areas, ping pong tables, etc. And I don’t think I found them very interesting.”
Instead, Masterson is more interested in tangible benefits such as pay, health care, and flexible time off. He said, “People can take a break in their own way and connect in their own way. [Office perks] When people are in crisis and our country is in crisis, it feels a little tone-deaf to see it as a ‘profit’ compared to something that is actually beneficial, i.e. financial. ”
And after years of constant mass layoffs, workers are becoming more concerned about their financial security and well-being. For this reason, the focus on office culture can feel especially foreign to employees like Masterson.
After all, there’s nothing wrong with fun office perks, but if companies can’t offer tangible perks that improve employees’ lives, they’re losing out on talent. “The next generation is very reluctant to advocate for their needs,” said Juan Franco, 32, an associate director of operations who works in higher education. “And if a company isn’t adapting to their needs, they can’t expect to keep their employees happy.”
Masterson agrees. “Culture is cool, sure, but at the end of the day, we all need to survive.”