While the long-term implications of remote work are yet to be seen, over the past year it appears that working remotely has impacted each generation quite differently, according to ADP Canada‘s most recent Workplace Insight Survey. The survey stressed the importance of understanding how the employee experience may differ depending on age, among many other factors, and the need for employers to adapt expectations accordingly.
Gen Z differs from other generations on hours worked and returning to the office – but all agree on stress levels
Many Canadian remote workers (44%) reported working longer hours compared to pre-pandemic times, but Gen Z remote workers (under 25 years old) have been the least likely of all generations to clock extra hours (31%). Millennial remote workers (those aged 26 to 40), on the other hand, were the most likely to report an increase in the hours of work, with nearly half (48%) reporting they are putting in more hours compared to pre-pandemic times.
When it comes to the prospect of returning to the office, the survey revealed that Gen Z remote workers are the most excited (36%) to return to the physical office, followed closely by Millennial remote workers (34%). This excitement seemed to taper off with age, with only 29 per cent of Gen X (aged 41 to 55) and 26 per cent of Baby Boomers (aged 56+) looking forward to returning to the office. Gen Z workers were also more likely (34%) to note incentives offered by employers, which could be further motivating them to return to the workplace. These include transit subsidies, a flexible schedule, free parking, and additional compensation – all of which Gen Z workers were significantly more likely to say are being offered by their organization, when compared to respondents from other generations.
One area that all generations seemed to agree upon was stress, with around four-in-ten of respondents across all age groups noting an increase in stress levels as a result of the pandemic.
