Two Thirds of Millennials Feel Judged When Working Away from the Office: Survey

They’re often called digital natives, but what happens when tech-savvy millennials collide with traditional workplaces? In a survey of 25,000+ people worldwide, Polycom found that many workplaces weren’t accepting the flexible, connected way young workers want to do their jobs with 66% of millennials feeling judged, worrying that their colleagues will think they’re not working hard enough if they work away from the office.

Demanding the flexibility to work anywhere is becoming increasingly commonplace, as more young people question whether traditional ways of working make the most sense for them. Flexible working is already popular, with 70% of millennials working anywhere often or from time to time, and only 15% never doing so. Meanwhile, the office is not necessarily the first port of call for getting work done, as 67% of millennials choose to work away from the office to turbo-charge their productivity.

And for the generation that’s comfortable with Skype, FaceTime or Snapchat in their personal lives, using video conferencing with their team at work is a natural step. It’s unsurprising, therefore, that Polycom’s survey found that 83% of millennials use video collaboration every week.

Seeing the stress loaded onto their overworked parents, more and more millennials are keen to forge a different path, with the survey finding that 72% like working anywhere so they can take control of their work-life balance. And that balance is under growing strain as millennials start to have kids, with 45% already parents, making time for themselves even more vital. Millennials are also more likely than older groups to want to work anywhere to free up time for them to be more creative, exercise or enjoy other hobbies.

So, what can companies do to support the younger members of their team? “Being transparent about rules and expectations is so important,” says Billie Hartless, Chief HR Officer for Polycom. “Nearly three fifths of millennials [57%] want HR to provide clear guidelines about the company’s flexible working policy – that way they exactly know what they’re working with. Many of them [59%] also wanted there to be the same policy for everyone across the company - not just parents or more senior staff. That way, everyone can benefit from anywhere working.”

Above all, easy-to-use technology that connects them to their colleagues is the main thing needed to put millennials at ease when working flexibly – the survey found that 61% just wish their company would provide them with the right tech.

“When companies support anywhere working, it’s a win-win: better productivity for the company and greater happiness for their millennial employees,” said Hartless. “The question is: will they?”