Gen Z Is Rejecting Office Jobs Due to Commuting and Clothing Costs, a New Study Finds Workers who go into the office spend thousands more a year than those who don't — and Gen Z is already over it.
By Erin Davis
Key Takeaways
- Hybrid and remote workers save thousands a year in costs associated with commuting and buying work clothes.
- This has deterred Gen Z from applying to and accepting in-office roles, a new study found.
- One in 10 say they have turned down an in-office role over the extra expenses.
Remote workers spend at least $6,000 less a year than people who have to go into an office, according to a report by FlexJobs. In fact, in some areas, remote workers saved $10,000 more annually than their in-office counterparts.
Yet companies from Amazon to Dell are mandating workers back to the office. And while some workers are sharing their displeasure through open letters and online messageboards, Gen Z is considering a different approach: Don't take the job in the first place.
Related: Remote Walmart Employees Question Return-to-Office Policy, Some Opt to Quit Instead of Relocating
A new report out of the U.K. says that one in 10 unemployed Gen Zers has turned down a job based on the costs of commuting to the office (plus the clothes, food, and other expenses it incurs).
The survey, which included 2,000 Gen Zers (ages 16 to 25) in the U.K. for the Prince's Trust annual NatWest Youth Index 2024, also found that money confidence among the age group was at its lowest level since the index began in the U.K. 15 years ago.
In the U.S., "frontline" Gen Z employees are reporting high rates (83%) of burnout. Frontline roles "require employees to be physically present in a specific place or at a specific time to do their jobs," according to UKG.
Nicholas Bloom, a Stanford University economist, told USA Today that many prospective employees will give up as much as 8% in salary for a job that offers partial or fully remote hours.
The full report is available, here.
Related: Hybrid Workers Were Put to the Test Against Fully In-Office Employees — Here's Who Came Out On Top
