Gen Alpha will make new rules for their workplace

Gen Alpha will expect hybrid workplaces, Al tools and 4-day weeks— offices unrecognizable to their parents’

- Somak Ghoshal

Last week, a study released by the International Workplace Group (IWG), a global leader in hybrid work solutions, highlighted several major shifts that will redefine the future of offices over the next two decades.

Based on data collected from 1,000 children between the ages of 11 and 17 (as well as their parents), the report argues that by the time Gen Alpha (born between 2010 and end 2024) enters the workforce (circa 2040), it will expect an environment that has little to no resemblance with the offices their parents went to work in.

Although the survey was carried out in the UK and the US, it is possible to extrapolate its findings on developing economies around the world. The biggest difference will be in Gen Alpha's expectation for hybrid work to become a norm rather than an exception. Only 29% of the respondents said they are willing to travel for more than 30 minutes to get to their workplaces. In contrast, 81% said they want to work out of cafes, co-working spaces, homes, and other central locations for efficiency and better mental well-being.

Another headline is that 88% of Gen Alphas expect to work with robots and AI on a daily basis, while 33% want to kill off the email for smarter, tech-enabled collaboration tools such as VR headsets for immersive 3D meetings. There is also a consensus among youngsters that 4-day work weeks should be normalized for improved health. Imagine what these policies together would mean for emissions and carbon footprint in general.