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For some younger workers, flexibility in their work is just as important as how much they get paid.
In a survey of US Gen Zers conducted by career platform iHire, 81.3% said that choosing “when, where and how” they work is “extremely” or “very” important.
This is roughly in line with the 82.2% who said it was extremely or very important that a potential employer offer a “fair and competitive” salary.
of investigation The event was attended by approximately 1,100 Gen Z members and took place in March and April.
The survey results highlight what the priorities are for some of the youngest members of the workforce, which has important implications as Gen Z is likely to overtake Baby Boomers in terms of full-time U.S. workers in 2024. While it’s harder for some to find a desk job than it was a few years ago, some employers still having trouble finding workers.
The office looks good
Unlike some older workers, the majority of younger workers seem eager to return to the office, according to the survey: About 56% of Gen Zers say they want to work in-person all the time, and about one in four want a hybrid setup. Just 18% want to work remotely full-time.
Other surveys have shown a desire for in-person connections. In late 2023, professional services and research firm Theramount interviewed workers across multiple generations. As Business Insider previously reported, nearly three-quarters of Gen Zers told Theramount they would prefer a hybrid environment. But only about half of workers from older generations said the same.
This approach of working from the office some days and from home others seems to be a routine practice adopted by many companies.
4 days
Another flexibility priority among young people, even more important than unlimited paid time off or remote work, is the four-day work week. In recent years, some employers have experimented with four eight-hour workdays at the same pay as a five-day week. Others have tried a four-and-a-half-day workweek.
In the survey, 59% of Gen Zers said they would prefer flexible working hours, 45% said a four-day workweek was the biggest attraction, and about four in 10 said unlimited paid time off is a priority, while 38% said the same about remote work.
The survey also highlighted the hurdles young people may face when entering the workforce, with one in three Gen Z respondents saying negative stereotypes about their generation will negatively impact their job search and career advancement in the next 12 months.
Among the more than 250 employers surveyed by iHire, some respondents complained about a sense of entitlement and unrealistic expectations among some young people, as well as a lack of etiquette in the workplace.
Survey respondents also generalized that young people are “tech savvy” and “socially conscious.”
Stacey Haller, chief careers advisor at Resume Builder, previously told BI that generational name-calling in the workplace is nothing new.
In a recent Resume Builder survey, nearly one-third of recruiters said they don’t want to hire younger or older workers.
“Every generation is a topic of conversation. Millennials used to have a sense of entitlement. Nobody wanted to hire them,” Haller said. “And now they’re the generation that’s prejudiced against other generations.”