Young workers are often criticized for championing a work-from-home culture, but McKinsey research shows that it is actually high-earning, experienced workers who are staunch supporters of working from home. svetikd – Getty Images
Millions of workers will need to return to their offices in the second half of 2023, but employers will need to engage with their top performers and executives if they want their jobs to go ahead as planned.
Though young workers are often criticized for thwarting return-to-office plans and advocating a remote culture, a new McKinsey study shows they are in fact high-earning middle-to-senior workers who are staunch supporters of the are working from home.
And unlike the youngest generation entering the workforce, this small but mighty group does have the leverage to protect their home office lives.
Only a small percentage of junior staff would like to work from home
McKinsey surveyed 13,000 office workers in six countries and found that the largest proportion of workers who prefer to work from home were those earning more than $150,000.
In fact, 33% of workers making over $150,000 said they would quit their high-paying job altogether if their boss asked them to come into the office five days a week. What’s more, these experienced professionals would even take a 20% pay cut to have a say in where and when they work.
That percentage drops to 11% for those earning less than $75,000, and only 9% of workers earning less than $50,000 feel the same way.
Additionally, half of the senior employees surveyed are those who continue to work from home, while just 6% of junior employees prefer to dial into their jobs remotely.
“Their seniority and high income suggest they are likely decision-makers who can protect remote work at the team or enterprise level,” the researchers conclude.
As long as this coveted group of workers wants the ability to work from home, remote and hybrid work policies are likely to remain in place — and as such, flexibility will continue to be key to attracting and retaining top talent.
Office attendance is still 30% lower than before the pandemic
On average, workers go to the office 3.5 days a week – about 30% less than before the pandemic.
But for employers hoping that will change as RTO calls increase, McKinsey has another bad news: Even in 2030, demand for office space will be lower than it was in 2019.
In fact, many Gen Z workers want to return to the office to escape their flatmates and fill the gap in their basic knowledge of office etiquette after years of giving up work experience and collaboration during the pandemic.
But for those confident in their ability to work, their kids, and a mortgage to pay, commuting to sit at a desk and do essentially the same job feels like a time and money waster. In addition to the desire to gain more time for the family, McKinsey named these as the main reasons why the employees surveyed want to work from home.
So until employers can convince their managers that going into the office is worth their time and money, the struggle to get people back to work is likely to continue.