Gen Z is the loneliest generation - but some still prefer to work from home

Not being in the office is more common in 2023 than any other year, but is remote work really the answer when Gen Z is going through an "epidemic of loneliness"?

Gen Z are "the loneliest generation", according to Business Insider Photo by Windows on Unsplash

Gen Z entered the workforce post-Covid, when office spaces and the world of work had changed massively.

These changes contributed to a rise in at-home work, either hybrid or completely remote.

But, for a generation whose social interactions were stunted by the pandemic, working alone is not a simple solution.

Studies, including one by Forbes, have proved that remote workers are more productive than their office-based counterparts.

Key Foster, a Content Assistant with BBC Bitesize, works three days from home and two in the office.

For her, remote working made some parts of the job more manageable.

"My workday seems less painful.

"It goes quicker, and I'm surrounded by my comforts.

"I don't get burnt out as often, and I'm more flexible with my time," Key said.

Also, a McKinsey survey of 18-24 year-olds revealed Gen Z are more likely to report "a hostile work environment, mental health issues, access to transportation to and from work, physical issues, and an inability to share your full self at work."

"Remote work has really helped my mental health and for me to grow as a person in and away from work; I feel more like me," Key said.

Gen Z's social anxiety is 'on the rise', meaning they experience a constant and overwhelming fear of social situations, which may contribute to their apprehension in the office.

"Remote working allows me to do a job that I love without the social pressures that come with it," Key said.

People who work from home are more productive than office-based workers, according to Forbes Photo by Jason Strull on Unsplash

"It has helped me and others that you can say are introverts."

However, remote workers often report loneliness as they often spend a lot of time working by themselves.

Gen Z is reported to be "the loneliest generation", by Business Insider, as they reveal some young people "spend thousands" trying to make connections.

Having spent their late teens and early twenties in lockdown, some fear Gen Z's social lives were impacted by Covid - making it harder for them to socialize in groups and, perhaps office settings.

As well, some find it hard to conduct teamwork in an at-home setting.

"Working on a big project when everyone else is at home does have its challenges," Key explained.

"When a problem arises it's a lot easier to sort it out face to face, and sometimes it can be time-consuming getting everyone's input individually.

"You feel alone in your work sometimes."

The cure for loneliness is going into the office. Gabriel Benois on Unsplash

As the working world adapts, and more people return to the office, some believe that the "cure for Gen Z's loneliness" is to embrace the return to in-person work, and leave the working from home behind.