The impact of working from home on young professionals
Young professionals are in the formative years of their careers. It’s a time when they’re honing new skills, beginning to solidify their personal values, setting goals and building the foundations for relationships that could last entire careers.
Working from home has become the new normal for many organisations post-pandemic, at least in part. However, over 80% of Gen Z workers feel “less connected” working remotely, according to a survey by the BBC. Half admitted they’re having communication issues and have even had trouble getting the necessary resources to help them fulfil their role.
It’s clear that while working from home, young people are not working alongside experienced colleagues from whom they can learn the skills of the role and the nuance of network interactions. Considering the implications from a business’s perspective, the world of work is limiting the potential for future talent pools. If the issue isn’t addressed now, there are repercussions down the line when it comes to making new hires and even promoting internally.
So, while working from home works for some, what are the possible implications for younger professionals? Join us as we explore the problems and potential solutions below.
Being at an early stage in home life also makes it more likely that working from home could be unsuitable
With less experience comes a lower salary. That means young people are at a stage in their life where home office setups might not be optimised for productivity, and they may even remain unequipped. This, partnered with spending so much time alone during the workweek, can result in young professionals working but not developing: trying but not excelling.
Inexperienced professionals need to see what ‘great’ looks like in a professional setting
Young professionals working from home are not exposed to day-to-day office life and therefore are likely not gaining all of the hands-on experience they need. There’s more to personal development than taking online courses or catching up on Zoom — progression happens when individuals are immersed in their company. That means they’re missing out on exposure to casual conversations, getting last-minute invitations to meetings and taking part in decision-making if they’re working at home.
Young professionals stuck behind screens at home are facing anonymity at work and in their industry
The pandemic led to a chasmic fall in the number of people employees have contact with on a given day, meaning new and casual relationships have been stunted. Having no face time with colleagues, peers and broader networking events risks young professionals remaining unknown and businesses are short-changing themselves at the same time. By not building strong relationships both inside and outside the company, professionals are not making a name for themselves and are less likely to get promoted, offered new opportunities or bring in new business.
Being deprived of workplace interaction can lead to job dissatisfaction
Team decentralisation means being more distant from people and opportunities. The lack of social contact in lockdown alone may have impacted young people’s ability to develop critical social and emotional skills, suggests new research from The Health Foundation. This, in turn, impacts job satisfaction and makes it more likely that young professionals will move jobs more often to get the experience and fulfilment they need.
Managers need to play a crucial role in the solution
Managers hold the key to help young professionals with personal development and staying satisfied with their roles and career. It all comes down to empathy in leadership: understanding where team members are struggling and providing solutions. Making the office accessible to those who want to attend is just one way managers can help reduce the impact of the pandemic on young people and also the wider team. Organising non-optional meetups or days where team members work together in person are also recommended. The main thing is to create a safe space for employees to air their qualms to help ease the effects working from home has on the development of young people.
For a more reliable approach, seeking external help to ease the impact on younger workers could also be a viable and rewarding solution. Outsourced HR offers support from an impartial standpoint to really help those younger team members feel heard, seen, understood and have their needs catered to within their organisation.
The UK’s current climate means young peoples’ careers need to be more about thriving than just surviving, and young professionals — whether just starting out, switching industries, companies or roles — are at a life-shaping moment. How they fare at this stage impacts professional endeavours, financial prospects and overall opportunities for years and even decades to come. Leaders need to recognise this and ensure they’re doing the most to support their younger team members in all aspects of working from home.
If you still have worries about your younger team members and their development as they work from home, reach out to our experts for a tailored consultation.
