It’s not that Gen Z employees don’t want to go into the office at all, said Helene DeVries, founder and CEO of industry headhunting firm HDV Talent. She said many Gen Z employees do want an in-office option; however, they want to feel that their employer trusts them to make that decision. Very few workers want to return to the office five days a week, but three days a week seems to be the “sweet spot” for many Gen Z employees specifically, she said.
One Gen Z ad agency employee who requested anonymity as she was not authorized to speak to the press, said she and her peers want flexibility with the option to work some days in the office, and most of all they want to be trusted that when they are not in the office that they are, in fact, working.
“In my experience, a hybrid work environment has allowed me to be more productive and happier in my job,” the ad agency employee said.
Provide space for side hustles
Many Gen Z employees are also working other jobs and have personal projects they want to dedicate time to, so having flexibility to not only work where they want, but when they want, is critical, some people said.
Karan Dang, CEO and co-founder of brand consultancy Dang, said Gen Z employees don’t want to commit to one workplace. He said younger employees like the fact that they can work at an ad agency and “also have a candle company” or “DJ on the weekends.”
One Gen Z employee who works at Dang full-time is also going for a MBA and auditioning for acting classes, Dang said. Karan Dang said that in interviews with potential Gen Z talent, he often hears how they are distrustful of companies because of the mass layoffs they’ve undergone in recent years and that’s why they’re exploring all of these different ventures, and also why the industry is seeing such an “entrepreneurial spirit.”
“To retain and recruit Gen Z, offer them flexibility from day one,” added Shruti Dang, chief operating officer and co-founder of Dang. The agency works with employees to carve out the best schedules for them based on their needs, and “that doesn’t mean they cannot do full-time,” but they prioritize results rather than hours, she said.
Shruti Dang said that as long as employees are honest about what time constraints they might have, the agency’s leaders will try to work around their schedules.
Is office space important?
Ad agencies, especially, used to flaunt their offices to attract clients and potential employees, boasting modern spaces with amenities including bars and pool tables.
Now, with some agencies downsizing to adapt to a more hybrid work model that leaves fewer employees in the office on a daily basis, these amenities may seem less important, some people interviewed said, and they are especially not as attractive to Gen Z.
DeVries said things like pool or ping pong tables are “window dressing” that not many employees use anyway. She said Gen Z wants more “tangible” perks such as food benefits and subsidized meals.
Horowitz said since Movers+Shakers is a remote-first company, the agency offers its employees WeWork passes if they want space to work in-person.
“People do love personal connection and so we have other ways that we provide that,” he said. “We at Movers+Shakers probably attract the people who are more interested in flexibility over the cool office space, and more and more that just seems like the way of the world. People want remote and better work-life balance than a pool table in the office.”
Also read: How Hunterblu encourages a healthy work-life balance
Benefits that matter
Many people interviewed said Gen Z employees want to know how their employer is working for them as well, so better benefits, especially around mental health and finance, are critical to retention efforts of this generation.
Dang provides employees with a subscription to Headway, an app that helps connect people with therapists. Karan Dang said this helps the agency’s employees “remove negative thoughts” as well as “be more productive,” by also offering tips for quick exercises and meditation.
“Gen Z isn’t just expecting better, they’re expecting work that respects their time, autonomy and wellbeing,” said Chris Noble, founder and head of operations at marketing executive consultancy Consiglieri. “It’s not about more perks or empty promises; it’s about fewer barriers, real flexibility and an environment that prioritizes trust over control … Offices aren’t a necessity, they’re a choice. Meetings shouldn’t be a default, they should be intentional. Benefits should remove stress, not create it.”
Some of Consiglieri’s benefits include covering “insurance premiums so no one has to stress about a doctor’s visit” and giving “real time off, with generous holidays and unlimited PTO, because work should fit into life, not the other way around,” Noble added.
Horowitz said one “sleeper benefit” Movers+Shakers offers that has really resonated with its Gen Z employees is Questis Financial Wellness, which creates personalized financial wellness plans for each employee.
“That is wildly popular with many of our Gen Z employees,” he said. “It offers one-on-one coaching as well as lots of educational resources for how to be better at your personal finances … that benefit gets rave reviews.”
Give them clear steps to ladder up
Many people interviewed said Gen Z employees want to advance quickly in their careers, more so than past generations—and perhaps more than is always realistically achievable.
Panelists at Ad Age’s NextGen Summit touched on this trend. Gen Z talent is looking to prove their worth and advance in their careers without just “putting in ridiculously long hours and staying at the office till 10 p.m.,” said Natalie DeGenova, director of business development and partnerships at She Runs It (seen in the video clip below).