LOS ANGELES—Generation Remote. Millennials and Gen Z are making it clear that remote work is here to stay. And executives better listen to these younger workers, says company culture consultant, CEO and author Chris Dyer, who wrote the book on Remote Work. Dyer took his company fully remote in 2009 and last year remote work-trained more than 100 organizations like the National Health Service, the U.S. Patent Office and Johnson & Johnson.
“Millennials and Gen Z are building their careers and they are realizing the power they have in the workforce,” said Dyer. “Billionaires using scare tactics and executives trying to drag young talent into their office buildings are in for a world of hurt if they don’t listen to younger workers.”
VentureBeat featured a report explaining that 19% of surveyed workers recently left or considered leaving a job. And the generational divide is even more clear. About 27% of millennials and 31% Gen Z have stated this, compared to a mere 13% of older workers, per Amdocs.
Forbes explained that Millennials and Gen Z “are all about finding the optimal work-life balance.” In a recent survey, 83% of millennials stated that work-life balance is the top factor in considering a new opportunity. A Deloitte survey showed that more than 70% of millennials expect their company to focus on social change and cause-related issues. Young workers are even disrupting the rental system by rejecting long-term leases and opting instead for short-term rentals.
“Everything is changing so rapidly that institutions and regulations are not keeping up, that’s a problem,” said Dyer. “Millennials don’t want to sign 12-month or 18-month leases on expensive apartments, they want to take their work with them wherever they go. Flexibility is the new gold standard in the future of work.”
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Chris Dyer is the founder and CEO of PeopleG2, where he manages 30 full-time remote employees and 3,000 contractors. PeopleG2 is routinely ranked one of the best places to work and has been listed as one of Inc.’s 5000 Fastest Growing Companies. Having made the transition to remote during the recession in 2009 with stunning success, Dyer is now a world-renowned expert on remote leadership and productive company culture. His commentary is featured regularly in leading media outlets such as Fast Company, Forbes, Inc., BBC, NBC and The Telegraph. Dyer is the author of Remote Work: Redesign Processes, Practices and Strategies to Engage a Remote Workforce.