Baby Boomers more unwilling to give up WFH privileges than Gen Z
A surprising generation is leading the charge in resisting calls to return to the office – even rejecting more money in order to protect their WFH privileges.
Since entering the workforce, Generation Z have been plagued with a multitude of unflattering stereotypes, cast on them by older generations.
Gen Z have always been strong defenders of work-life balance and flexibility, a practice that has led to claims they are “lazy” and not willing to put in “hard work”.
The phrase “nobody wants to work anymore” is thrown around every time a new generation enters the workplace.
Not too long ago it was Millennials who were being accused of being entitled and more worried about avocado toast than building their careers.
Before that, Gen X were the newcomers and were being branded slackers and complainers.
Even Baby Boomers – the ones so often at odds with Gen Z – were described as “privileged, narcissistic and spoiled” in an edition of Life Magazine from 1968.
It appears to be a trend every generation must endure, but a new report has proved just how wrong these stereotypes are.
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Top employment website, SEEK, has released its Money Matters report, which examines how Australian workers really feel about money, salaries and workplace flexibility.
The research includes responses from more than 4000 people currently in Australia’s workforce, aged between 18 and 64.
Working from home and return to office mandates have been a big feature of 2025, with the general assumption being younger generations are less willing to return to in-person work, while many Baby Boomers want to scrap remote work completely.
However, the report has revealed an very interesting generational divide when it comes to what would motivate people to forgo working from home.
Overall, 76 per cent of workers said they would return to the office full time in exchange for salary increase.
Digging into this figure further shows that Gen Z are leading the charge, with 86 per cent of respondents in this generation willing to head back to the office if it means more money.
Kylie Pascoe, APAC Senior Marketing Manager of SEEK’s Customer Insights & Research team, said the research flips the “lazy” stigma attached to Gen Z “on its head”.
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Speaking to news.com.au, she said the youngest working generation are proving they are willing to work hard in order to unlock more money.
“In fact, they’re often leading the way when it comes to making trade-offs for higher pay,” she said.
“They’re more open than older generations to returning to the office full-time, taking on longer commutes, working extra hours, and taking on more responsibilities in exchange for a pay rise.”
Ms Pascoe also noted Gen Zers are more willing to find different ways to build their income, with one in four already having a side hustle.
“So rather than being work-shy, this research shows that Gen Z are open to hustling hard, and this could largely be driven by financial pressures – with only about a quarter of these younger workers feeling financially secure right now,” she said.
Of all the workers interviewed who can work remotely, almost one in four said they wouldn’t return to the office, even if more money was offered.
Surprisingly, the generation most likely to take this stance was Baby Boomers, with 55 per cent choosing this option, along with 31 per cent of Gen Xers.
Even as much as a 20 per cent pay increase still isn’t enough, with 80 per cent of Boomers saying they would prefer a good work-life balance over a significant pay bump.
While it is clear work-life balance is still important to Gen Z, with the majority of respondents choosing this option, 42 per cent said they would choose a higher salary.
Ryan Myo is one of the Gen Zers who have traded in flexibility for more money, moving from regional NSW to Sydney in the process.
Up until recently, the 27-year-old was working in the civil infrastructure industry in the coastal town of Port Macquarie, a role that offered a great work-life balance.
His new Sydney job is more focused on strategic planning for infrastructure and, while it came with a 30 per cent pay increase, there is less flexibility.
“My previous position offered a rostered day off every fortnight, shorter commute times, and earlier finish hours which really supported work-life balance,” Mr Myo said.
“In Sydney, things are more structured and the pace is faster, but I was prepared for that trade-off. While I do miss the flexibility of regional work, I see this role as a stepping stone toward long-term career growth.”
His decision to move wasn’t just about salary, Mr Myo was also looking for a new challenge and an opportunity to grow in a different part of the industry.
Moving to Sydney was a “conscious decision” the Gen Z worker made in order to step out of his comfort zone and further his career.
“I’ve learned that career growth often comes with trade-offs,” he said.
“While I do hope to eventually return to a coastal lifestyle, maybe even back to Port Macquarie, right now I’m prioritising career development and experience in a larger, faster-paced environment.”
It is likely that life and career stages play a significant part in the generational divides we are seeing when it comes to attitudes to working from home.
Ms Pascoe noted that, for a lot of older workers, flexibility has become a “non-negotiable”.
“This could be because many are parents or carers, or they’ve simply come to value the lifestyle benefits of greater workplace flexibility, and more money doesn’t feel worth giving that up,” she said.
While Gen Z workers still value work-life balance, they are still building their careers and “may see being in the office as a way to connect, learn and progress”.
