Will artificial intelligence persuade Gen Z to return to the office?

Four years on from the start of a pandemic that saw a large portion of the workforce adopt working from home practices, the era of full-time office hours still hasn’t returned for everybody, and most likely never will.

While a lot of organisations view this as a positive, allowing for greater flexibility, better work-life balance and reduced rates of sickness and absence, many companies are looking to reduce the amount of time employees spend working remotely, and instead mandate more time in the office.

There are many factors for this, and not all of them are driven by a lack of trust in employees or a ‘bums on seats’ mentality. One of the major drivers of this change is the rise of artificial intelligence. Early in 2024, the UK boss of accounting giant PwC, Kevin Ellis, believed that particularly younger staff should aim to spend “four to five days a week” in the office as opposed to working remotely.

His comments came as PwC released a report showing that British companies are adopting AI more rapidly than their international peers. The survey, which comprised answers from more than 4,600 global CEOs, found that 42% of UK bosses said they had implemented the technology in the last year, compared with only 32% globally.

And with AI replacing a lot of the entry levels roles that younger workers cut their teeth on, this could be viewed as concerning for the current generation of workers looking to start their careers.

We explore why the rise of AI may result in a shift back towards office-based working.

The existential fear of artificial intelligence

According to a report from D2L, a learning technology company, Gen Z is currently the most concerned about the rise of AI and what this means for their careers. Some 52% of Gen Z workers asked claimed to be worried about AI, compared to 45% of millennials and 33% of Generation X workers. This could be due to the above notion that AI is tending to replace jobs that many Gen Z workers start their careers in.

While Gen Z is tech-savvy enough to realise that AI will play a big role in their careers regardless of their own fears, only 23% of those surveyed were excited about the prospect.

One way to combat these fears is to reskill, upskill and train employees to work with AI. Whether it’s on using generative AI more efficiently or simply upskilling to stay ahead of change — is crucial for workers to keep up with the rapidly changing landscape of work.

The importance of reskilling in artificial intelligence

As AI continues to permeate diverse industries, individuals with the ability to harness its power are better positioned to adapt to changing job roles and market demands, and this is relevant at all levels of experience and seniority. Whether it’s developing AI-driven solutions to enhance customer experiences or leveraging data analytics to inform strategic decision-making, AI skills have become indispensable in driving organisational success.

The benefits of upskilling in AI extend beyond individual career growth and organisational innovation to societal progress. As AI continues to reshape industries and economies, there is a growing need for ethical AI practitioners who can develop responsible and inclusive AI solutions. By investing in AI upskilling programs that emphasise ethical considerations, organisations can ensure that AI technologies are developed and deployed in a manner that prioritizes fairness, transparency, and accountability – and crucially, doesn’t marginalise employees.

By championing AI in the workplace rather than fearing it, Gen Z has an opportunity to get a foothold on their careers and spearhead this change, whether working remotely or from the office.

The Pathfinders Academy

At Morson Group, we believe responding to those tech talent challenges requires more than fishing in the same limited ponds for the right people and skills. There is an acute imperative to identify, develop and deploy talent from a much wider demographic, and engage with employers on a strategic level to help them plan their talent pipeline for current and future needs.

The Morson Pathfinders Academy is a new approach to talent acquisition, development, and retention. We build a future pipeline for organisations whilst retaining entry and junior-level talent without an impact on delivery cadence.

Find out more about the Pathfinders Academy here