IRL rebalance

Turns out even the most plugged-in generation is ready to unplug and rebalance

In 2023, Ontario implemented a right-to-disconnect policy, and though it never garnered much praise or attention, it did speak to a growing demand in the workforce ― the ability to unplug.

Click here to view this article in the London Inc. Worklife newsletter

Curiously, a new survey finds that demand to be particularly strong among digital natives, i.e., Gen Z. A survey from The Harris Poll and Quad found that Gen Z is expressing a lot of digital fatigue, with 81 per cent saying they wish it were easier to disconnect from their devices, both in terms of their work and personal lives.

Story Continues Below

 

What’s interesting is that it’s not just annoyance with work emails or Slack messages. It jives more with something we wrote about a couple weeks ago ― Gen Z expressing more demand for in-person work. “What’s fascinating about this research isn’t simply a pandemic-driven return to physical retail,” said Libby Rodney of the Harris Poll. “We’re seeing a cultural shift driven by digital natives themselves.”

HR experts are taking note and suggest that much of the received wisdom repeated around young employees is wrong. “Gen Z often gets labeled the digital generation, but what they’re really craving is human connection,” said Workhuman’s CMO Richard Maclachlan.

Story Continues Below

 

Quad’s CMO, Josh Golden, said the findings should bolster those companies looking to lean harder on RTO protocols, and could see more adherence to those RTO efforts if they paired them with in-person opportunities.

“There’s a kind of learning that happens when you’re in person ― whether it’s formal or informal ― that’s irreplaceable,” he said. “Even though return-to-office was initially perceived as a bit annoying, people have also come to realize how much they can grow and learn when they’re working literally alongside other humans.” Kieran Delamont