Gen Z cares most about the "O" in RTO

• Key Insight: Uncover how Gen Z's actual workplace demands differ from standard return-to-office strategies.
• What's at Stake: Employers who refuse to adapt physical workspaces risk losing their youngest talent.
• Forward Look: Get ready for offices that intentionally create spaces for both concentration and collaboration.
  Source: Bullets generated by AI with editorial review

Gen Z employees don't have a problem with returning to the office, they just want those offices to better support their work.

A recent YouGov survey of Gen Z office workers found that 53% of that demographic feel more productive working from home, while 34% say their current workplace design does not allow them to focus effectively. The findings suggest that, rather than adding more amenities, organizations — and employees — benefit from  creating environments that directly support the needs young talent can't get at home.

"We're asking the wrong question," said Sarah Noll Wilson, president and founder of leadership development and consulting firm The Noll Wilson Group. "It isn't whether Gen Z or insert-whatever-group is more productive at home, but more what kind of work we are asking people to do."

Read more: Hilton research: Manager relationships fuel retention and RTO success

Currently, 82% of Gen Z knowledge workers say their company has issued or increased in-office mandates this year, according to a recent survey of over 1,000 employees across the U.S. conducted by tech and research company Owl Labs. According to Wilson, the continued push toward in-person offices is driven largely by the belief that more time in the office equals greater productivity. Many leaders also hope in-person working solves their struggles with employee engagement. However, the fallout suggests otherwise: 84% of Gen Z employees are now actively looking for more flexible jobs.

Despite these statistics, Gen Z aren't entirely against returning to the office, Wilson said. In fact, according to the same Owl Labs survey, 80% of Gen Z workers who go into the office regularly say the choice to do so is theirs, not their employers. This means that opportunities like mentorship, career advancement, collaborations, and workplace friendships continue to be significant motivations for young talent to go into work, according to Wilson, as long as they have more control over the terms.

"I think a mistake that many organizations are making right now is assuming that every task benefits from being done in the same place," Wilson said. "People don't want to commute for access to Wi-Fi and to be on virtual calls all day."

Office spaces for both concentration and collaboration

In rethinking their RTO strategies, organizations should start with their office design. For years, workplace layouts have prioritized occupancy, aesthetics, and executive preferences over employee performance, Wilson said. Companies have poured resources into attractive and flashy workplace perks such as open floor plans, game rooms, cafés and collaborative spaces in an effort to foster creativity and connection. While these amenities can be valuable, research suggests they are not universally beneficial, according to Wilson. Instead, some of the most impactful workplace features are far simpler — providing employees with quiet, distraction-free spaces where they can focus, along with effective communal spaces.

Read more: How to successfully recruit and retain Gen Z talent

"Focused and collaborative work are not competing priorities — they're complementary," Wilson said. "Yes, people need uninterrupted time to think, to analyze, to write, and to solve problems. But they also need opportunities to learn from each other, to wrestle with complex ideas, to be mentored, to receive coaching and build relationships."

Just as important as a new office design is the right policy. Leaders can still establish an RTO strategy, Wilson said, she just suggested they  empower employees with more control over when they go into the office and for what purpose.

"The best organizations that we work with don't force people to choose between a culture or environment of concentration and one of collaboration," Wilson said. "They intentionally create spaces for both."