Boomers, millennials and Gen Z all disagree on the best work arrangements — can employers find middle ground?

From COVID's shift to remote and hybrid work, to today's RTO mandates, the changes the workforce has had to endure over the last few years have left employees of different age demographics at odds. 

According to a new report by freelance servicing platform Fiverr, 76% of respondents agreed that their current work arrangement did not meet their ideal preferences and attributed it to the fact that they were required to be in the office more often than they preferred. Surveying nearly 12,000 workers, Fiverr found drastic differences in how employees preferred to get their work done, leaving leaders with a daunting task of managing multigenerational expectations. 

"The true variety of schedules and preferences for working hours [is] really striking," says Gali Arnon, Fiverr's chief marketing officer. "Especially as many of these preferences differ from the structure of a 9-5 work day."

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Baby boomers prefer remote and hybrid work

While almost a third of all workers surveyed said they prefer to work from home or to choose where they work each day, baby boomers were most likely to prefer flexible or remote work, with 40% citing their optimal work environment as either remotely at home or being able to choose different places depending on the day. Millennial and Gen X respondents, however, were less likely to say the same, with only 29% and 32% preferring this arrangement. These groups cited working in a private or shared office as their desired arrangement.  

"This could be related to the fact that younger workers who are earlier in their careers are eager to socialize and build relationships with coworkers," Arnon says. "Meanwhile, more established employees need to attend to more responsibilities at home."

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Younger generations still prioritize flexibility

Of those who still prefer remote work, three in ten millennial workers said it makes it easier to manage childcare responsibilities. Gen Z felt flexible hours helped with creativity and inspiration — overall, 41% of workers in the U.S. said they were most productive either in the early morning or late at night. 

"Gen Zs value flexibility and work-life balance, as well as passion-driven work," Arnon says. "At the end of the day, they are really focused on wanting some level of agency over their work life, whether that be where they work, or what projects they are working on." 

Employers should focus on skills, not time spent at work

Seventy-six percent of U.S. workers surveyed say they could complete their current workload in a four-day week, according to Fiverr. Most workers estimated that they are productive for an average of 31 hours per week, with 21% of respondents estimating that they are actually only productive for, at most, 20 hours per week. 

"The wide range of preferences when it comes to working schedules is an important reason why employers should place more emphasis on workers' skills and output rather than their working hours," Arnon says. "We've seen many talented freelancers excel at producing great work and have thriving careers while working varied hours each week."

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But as employers put RTO manadates into effect, these new arrangements will benefit some employees more than others. Senior workers, for example, were more likely to prioritize in-person interaction, with close to half of respondents at the director level saying they wanted to work with colleagues regularly or all of the time. Overall, 59% of workers prefer meetings to be in-person, either in an office or in another location, such as a coffee shop. However, 29% of entry-level workers said they would prefer to communicate with colleagues through messaging platforms like Slack or via text. 

"A return to office push could have an impact on certain employees that need the flexibility of remote work," Arnon says. "Other workers find the office to be distracting, so it could actually compromise their productivity." 

If managers want to make sure that all employees — regardless of their age or status — feel comfortable and supported at work, they'll have to shift their expectations so that it's focused on quality. They should also ensure that they're actively promoting flexible work schedules without there being consequences for employees who work outside the typical 9-5 structure. 

"Over time, we think that this tension of working preferences, and the vast diversity of how people prefer to work will encourage companies to look at talent differently," Arnon says. "Companies that are willing to be adaptive, allow for some flexibility and work with external talent may be able to strike a balance between facilitating collaboration while not sacrificing diversity."