A recent study by Fiverr, a leading online freelancer marketplace, unveils a surprising trend: Baby boomers are leading the charge for remote work. Surveying 9,129 professionals, including 2,008 from the U.S., the study reveals that 40% of baby boomers prefer working remotely, surpassing Gen X at 32% and millennials at 29%. Interestingly, baby boomers also exhibit the least interest in traditional office setups. Only a quarter of this demographic favours working in an office, compared to 36% of Gen X and 32% of millennials.
Michal Miller Levi, Fiverr’s senior director of market research and insights, highlighted the need for companies to pivot from focusing on fixed working hours to embracing flexibility. Levi emphasized that diverse talent, including younger workers and parents, thrives when offered control over their work lives, advocating for a skills and output-driven approach in recruitment. The pandemic has left companies grappling with defining their workplace’s new normal, juggling the demands for in-office, remote, and hybrid work setups. Despite this, an August survey by Resume Builder predicts that approximately 90% of companies will revert to office setups by 2024.
Interestingly, employment ads featuring “remote work” and “work from home” saw a decline in the second quarter of 2023 compared to the previous year, as per a GlobalData report. This shift contrasts with reports indicating that nearly half of employees would consider quitting or job hunting if their company mandated a full-time return to the office, per the Integrated Benefits Institute’s recent publication. Remarkably, some employees are bucking the trend, defying company directives to return to the office. Even in workplaces requiring a three to four-day office presence, employees are only showing up twice a week, according to a recent study.
The evolving workplace dynamics, highlighted by Fiverr’s study, showcase a significant shift towards remote work, notably led by baby boomers. As businesses navigate this transitional phase, the growing emphasis on flexibility and output-driven approaches indicates a changing paradigm, where diverse talent seeks greater control over their work lives.
