Millennials Wary of a Return to the Office, Even If That Return Benefits Their Careers

As the pandemic seems to be drawing to a merciful close, business leaders are discussing a return to normalcy. Some of this discussion involves employees coming back to the office in some form, but studies are showing that this return is being met with hesitancy, if not outright resistance. After working from home for a year and a half, employees are questioning the wisdom of traditional office spaces. There’s definitely an appeal of not dealing with a commute and working in your pajamas, and workers seem unwilling to give remote work up without good reason. This is particularly true of millennials. A recent study revealed that 55 percent of millennials questioned the wisdom of a return to the office compared to 45 percent of Gen Xers and 36 percent of baby boomers. However, business leaders caution that younger employers shouldn’t be so quick to discount in-person work. Those working remotely in the formative years of their careers can miss out on critical networking opportunities and mentorships that could slow their career advancement down the road.