Younger workers feel more productive in the office

Contrary to the fact that flexible working options are on the rise, new research shows employees under the age of 35 actually prefer being based at an office to working from home.

A study commissioned by managed services provider Maintel shows younger employees feel they are more productive in the office, with 48% saying this is true compared to only 19% of over-55s.

One possible reason for this preference is that younger workers say they need the face-to-face support of more experienced colleagues, with 28% of under-35s finding it hard to reach co-workers for help when working remotely. The study also found the younger generation enjoys the social aspects of the office environment and believes visibility of hard work – namely being present in the office – is the best way to receive a promotion.

The Maintel survey affirms the fact that flexible working is becoming more prevalent, as 73% of respondents said their employers offer a good policy for working remotely. As a result, 64% say they don’t feel micromanaged when working from home. However, the statistics show not all rules fit when it comes to staff management.

Rufus Grig, CTO at Maintel said: “Rather than forcing the blanket adoption of either home working or office working, companies must have flexibility to allow employees to work where they feel most productive and ensure they have the right tools to keep in touch wherever they are. By doing so, they can expect a boost in employee performance, recruitment and retention – and of course a more streamlined and efficient machine.”