Gen Z wants more office days than millennials: Why younger workers are embracing the workplace

Gen Z may be challenging the conventional belief that younger employees prefer working remotely. A new global survey by real estate consultancy Savills has found that Gen Z workers want to spend more days in the office than millennials, highlighting the growing importance of collaboration, learning opportunities and workplace interactions.

According to the Savills Impacts Generational Preferences Survey, released on November 3, Gen Z employees, born between 1997 and 2012, prefer working from the office for an average of 3.4 days per week. This compares with 3.2 days for younger millennials and 3.3 days for older millennials.

Interestingly, Gen Z's preferences are closer to those of Generation X and Baby Boomers, who favour 3.5 office days weekly.

The findings suggest that younger employees increasingly view offices as spaces for professional development, mentorship and social engagement rather than simply places to complete daily tasks.

Work-life balance remains a priority

Despite their preference for greater office attendance, Gen Z employees are unwilling to compromise on work-life balance.

The survey found that 100% of Gen Z respondents considered work-life balance either moderately or extremely important.

Across generations, employees currently attend offices approximately four days weekly, higher than their preferred attendance levels.

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This gap highlights the continuing relevance of hybrid working arrangements, even as younger workers recognise the benefits of physical workplaces.

What does Gen Z want from offices?

Reliable technology and accessibility emerged as major priorities.

High-quality Wi-Fi ranked as the most important office amenity across generations. For Gen Z, public transport connectivity came second, followed by quiet spaces for focused work.

The survey also revealed that 46% of Gen Z respondents commute for 41 minutes or longer, the highest proportion among the generations surveyed.

Savills attributed this partly to affordable housing being concentrated outside city centres, increasing the importance of convenient public transport connections.

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Within workplaces, Gen Z prioritised team collaboration, social interaction and learning opportunities over individual focused work and in-person client meetings.

Nearby lifestyle amenities also matter. Restaurants ranked highest across generations, while younger employees showed greater interest in gyms and wellness centres. Gen Z respondents particularly favoured gyms and Pilates studios.

What does this mean for employers?

Arvind Nandan, Managing Director, Research & Consulting, Savills India, said workplace design must evolve alongside employee expectations.

"Gen Z’s workplace preferences highlight the importance of creating office environments that support collaboration, career development and employee well-being," Nandan said.

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He added that reliable technology, connectivity and nearby lifestyle amenities would help make office attendance more meaningful.

Kelcie Sellers, Associate Director at Savills World Research, said developers, employers and governments must understand generational differences as workplace expectations evolve.

The survey, conducted between September 4 and 18, 2026, collected 645 responses globally. Savills cautioned that its findings reflect the sample and should not be considered representative of every generation or region.

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