Gen Z Employees Prefer Hybrid Work Over Fully Remote, Gallup Finds

A new Gallup report reveals that despite growing up in the digital age, Gen Z employees are the least likely among all working generations to prefer fully remote work, expressing a strong desire for in-person interaction and workplace connection. The report, which compared remote work preferences across four generations—baby boomers, Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z—found that only 23% of Gen Z employees favor fully remote work. In contrast, 35% of baby boomers, Gen X, and millennials each reported a preference for fully remote arrangements.

Jim Harter, chief scientist of workplace management and wellbeing at Gallup, expressed surprise at the findings. “You might think that [Gen Z] just would have an automatic preference for remote work, because they can do a lot of things digitally,” Harter said.

However, the data suggest otherwise. According to Harter, many Gen Z workers believe that fully remote work may be hindering their professional development. “They feel that their careers are being ‘compromised’ by fully remote work,” he explained. One key concern is the difficulty in building mentorship relationships remotely—relationships that are especially important for early-career professionals.

Person working remotely | Source: Pexels

Additionally, Gen Z employees working entirely from home often struggle with understanding how their individual work contributes to the broader goals of their organization, the report notes.

Instead of fully remote setups, Gen Z is showing a strong preference for hybrid work arrangements. The report states that 71% of Gen Z employees prefer a hybrid environment—more than any other generation. Gen Z workers are also more likely to express a desire for colleagues to work in-person more often, further highlighting the value they place on face-to-face interaction.

Despite this, working entirely in-person remains unpopular across all age groups. Just 6% of Gen Z employees said they want to work in-person full-time, compared with 4% of millennials, 9% of Gen X, and 10% of baby boomers.

Gallup’s research also points to social factors contributing to Gen Z’s preferences. A 2024 study by the firm found that one in five employees reported experiencing significant loneliness, with workers under 35—the demographic that includes Gen Z—being most affected.

People working in office | Source: Pexels

“There’s a craving for that in-person connection,” Harter said, emphasizing that in-person work often facilitates spontaneous interactions and mentorship opportunities that cannot be replicated through virtual meetings. “There are so many things that happen in-person that you can’t schedule for on Zoom calls: random conversations, solving problems, quickly asking for advice. All of us that have experienced it know the difference.”

Even hybrid teams, Harter noted, often fail to optimize their in-office time to benefit Gen Z employees. He recommended scheduling set in-person days to foster greater connection within teams.

For fully remote organizations, Harter suggested creating intentional opportunities for meaningful dialogue with Gen Z employees, including discussions about career goals, strengths, and challenges.

“I think that people in the upper generations need to consider not just what’s good for me, but what’s good for the whole team, the whole organization,” Harter said. “The really effective organizations and leaders see that, and they put a plan around it.”