Evolving Workforces

Generational Insights on Modern Workplaces

Perspective 3 of Our 2024-2025 CBRE Global Workplace & Occupancy Insights Series

June 26, 2025 4 Minute Read

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In this article, we asked three questions of CBRE's Bonny Wong, a Generation Z Senior Strategist, with Nic Smith, a seasoned baby boomer leader:

  • What attracts people into the office?
  • How can the workplace better support successful in-office experiences?
  • How should workplace effectiveness be measured?

What attracts people to the office?

Despite the surge in hybrid work arrangements, with 92% of workplace policies now incorporating flexible models, companies are still grappling with the ideal balance between in-person and remote work. While 57% of organizations prefer a "mostly office" hybrid model, requiring employees to spend at least three days onsite, the data reveals a striking disconnect: 61% of these organizations report that employee behavior in the office differs significantly from leadership expectations. This gap highlights a pressing challenge: What motivates employees to come to the office? Nic and Bonny weigh in.

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“People working together in one place to achieve an output is an Industrial Revolution construct. The manufacturing of things like cotton, steel and other products required people being together in a physical place to work the process. The manager ensured that people kept working and maintained the quality of output. In today’s technology- and services-led world, the need for people to physically ‘do something’ and hand it off to someone else is somewhat redundant. The mindset that managers need people in the office to make sure they are working or to be available for questions is part of that Industrial Revolution mindset. COVID-19 challenged that model and forced us to examine how work actually gets done today.

My experience is similar. As a leader, if my team is not in the office, why would I go in? My focus as a manager and leader has to be on finding the most effective way to accelerate how people learn new skills and gain experience. Sadly, many managers with an Industrial Revolution mindset focus more on control—ensuring people are at their desk (notice I did not say working!)—and less on helping them to be creative, learn and grow, which is where the performance breakthroughs occur.”

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“It really depends on the nature of work. The primary reason I go into the office is to meet my colleagues, collaborate in-person and learn through osmosis, mostly because my day-to-day work can be done from home. For others, the office may offer specialty spaces or convenient services that they require to do their best work. Regardless, many of us entered the workforce shortly before, during or after the pandemic, and our first professional work experience is drastically different from those who have lived through the office evolution. Hybrid work became the norm for us as it became evident for everyone else that traditional work can be done from wherever people feel most productive: at home, in a café, while commuting, the list goes on. It’s important to acknowledge that the new generation of talent was introduced to the workplace with a wider range of possibilities in hybrid schedules (the ‘when’), workstyles (the 'how') and reasons to go into the office (the ‘why’).

It’s a common misconception that younger people prefer remote jobs. Actually, life stage is more likely to be the driving factor for flexible work arrangements. We appreciate the in-person connections and community at work. We don’t know what we don’t know. For me, I wouldn’t have realized the benefits of going into the office to collaborate and build relationships with peers and leaders had I worked a fully remote job. The reality is a balance of in-office time and remote flexibility works best. At the same time, if others are not present or if leadership doesn’t model the encouraged behavior, the only drivers to work in the office are convenient amenities with little long-term attachment, like free food and ergonomic desk setups. Communicating the value of in-office time and how the workplace will support that is key.”

Nic and Bonny agree that the traditional mindset of requiring people to work in an office 40 hours per week is outdated. COVID-19 forced a re-examination of how work gets done, and many people can be productive from anywhere. As Nic notes, the focus should be on development and learning, not just control and presence. Bonny adds that in-office time is valuable for collaborating, building relationships and learning from colleagues and leadership. However, this time can be balanced with dedicated focus time at home. The key is to communicate the value of in-office time and how the workplace will support it, rather than just relying on convenient amenities. Adopting a hybrid approach allows people to work in a way that suits their needs and preferences, leading to greater productivity and engagement.

How can the workplace better support successful in-office experiences?

Data reveals preferences that correlate to performance. A clear connection this year: Utilization of enclosed meeting rooms (58%) significantly outpaced open areas (23%), and private focus areas (35%) exceeded utilization of open areas by six percentage points. This highlights a growing demand for quiet, distraction-free environments amid the typical bustle of a shared workspace. While a diverse range of work settings is essential, the most significant draw to the office remains social connection, with 65% of employees prioritizing morale and colleague relationships as crucial factors for in-office work. Successful workplace experiences encompass a broad range of preferences and factors. How do Bonny and Nic envision the workplace?

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“When I think about what I need to be successful in the office, it’s access to a wide variety of spaces that enable me to focus, collaborate, learn and connect. The spectrum of workstyles born out of the pandemic continues to expand and employees want greater control over our immediate work environments, including acoustic and visual privacy.

To focus, access to private enclosed space is desired. To collaborate, meeting rooms should be readily available and tech-enabled for hybrid meetings. To learn and connect, the right programs and space must be in place to facilitate organic interactions and support career development. As digital natives, our generation is highly adaptable to different means of learning and relationship-building: Doing this in the office must supersede the experience of virtual coffee chats and online training. Culture and relationships are what strengthen our attachment to the office and retain talent. From entry to exit, we want to feel that our time in the office was easy, productive and purposeful.”

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“I feel the challenge for today’s leaders is leveraging technology and creating an environment where these digital nomads get to put the theory into practice and get immediate feedback on their outcomes. For example, it’s very hard to learn to drive a car without actually getting in a car. Simulations can build a certain competence—but then turning theory into practice can be very different. I recognize this example is itself old technology because with AI and self-driving vehicles, the competencies people require may be very different in the future.

So, how important is the physical space in influencing people to come into the office—and how can this be assessed? As I think about office space and its importance in attracting people back to the office and as a tool for retaining talent, the bar has been raised on the workplace requirements.

While onsite gyms and restaurants are nice-to-haves, if the office fails to provide the basic facilities, it will not inspire employees to return. Relationships with supervisors are critical to high performance. Data on staff retention indicates that people leave their managers, not their jobs. So, in addition to a workspace that allows people to meet their basic work requirements, a tremendous onus is on leaders to create a culture and an environment that supports and encourages staff to be their best selves.”

Gen Zer Bonny and baby boomer Nic present different perspectives on the importance of physical office space. Bonny emphasizes the need for diverse workspaces fostering focus, collaboration and connection, advocating for a holistic approach that includes functional design, engaging programs and a strong company culture to differentiate the office from remote work. Nic notes the office's role in bridging the gap between theoretical learning and practical application, highlighting the importance of basic functionalities like reliable Wi-Fi and private workspaces as foundational elements before considering amenities. While both acknowledge the significance of workplace relationships, Nic stresses the crucial role of effective management in employee retention, arguing that strong leadership outweighs supplementary office perks.

How should workplace effectiveness be measured?

Workplace effectiveness is rapidly becoming the key metric for real estate success, surpassing traditional measures like space efficiency and density. A 75% surge in employee satisfaction ranking this year, coupled with a 67% four-year decline in density's importance, underscores this shift. While the pandemic exposed the need for employer-employee balance, 2025 demands a sharper focus on creating mutually beneficial and productive work environments. Nic and Bonny offer their thoughts on what makes a workplace truly effective.

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“Citing the Industrial Revolution mindset again, I recognize the need to have hard data to measure an investment, but it is a trailing indicator of performance. Designing the ‘perfect working environment’ is not possible, because you cannot please all of the people all of the time. And while seeking input from employees is a key component of change management, individuals are notoriously poor at identifying what they need and what motivates them.

Malcolm Gladwell in his landmark work Blink illustrated this with a study on speed dating where people were asked to identify the type of partner they would be most interested in. The results after the speed dating event indicated that people selected prospective partners who had very few of the desired characteristics they identified ahead of time.

This suggests that we use both the hard metrics, such as utilization, and a range of soft diagnostics as inputs to the design process. Surveying various employee groups on what attracted them back to the office will be a good start, coupled with assessing the culture and leadership style of an organization. This will help identify the factors that need to be included and measured in assessing the attractiveness of the office as a motivational performance-enhancing tool.”

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“An effective workplace dynamically balances both quantitative and qualitative input from employees and leaders. Despite being a more ‘objective’ metric, badge swipes alone, especially in the context of a strict hybrid policy, will not suffice. ‘Softer’ metrics around employee satisfaction and team morale should also be considered when measuring workplace effectiveness.

For our generation, transparency and ownership are top priorities. We’d like the opportunity to participate in research processes and see our feedback actively reflected in our workplace. Thoughtfully amplifying the positive moments that matter and proactively removing friction points in our day are what differentiate the workplace from home—these insights are best captured by directly surveying those who use the space. Not only does this create a more effective environment for all, but it also reinforces the company culture and drives employee engagement across generations.”

Nic and Bonny offer contrasting approaches to evaluating workplace effectiveness. Baby boomer Nic emphasizes data-driven design, advocating for using metrics like space utilization and employee surveys as inputs, while acknowledging the limitations of relying solely on self-reported employee needs. He suggests correlating employee demographics with office preferences and considering organizational culture and leadership styles to inform design choices. Gen Zer Bonny prioritizes subjective measures of workplace success, such as employee satisfaction and a positive perception of the office visit, arguing that "softer" metrics and individual experiences are crucial. She stresses the importance of employee feedback loops and fostering a dynamic, culture-driven environment tailored to specific office communities.

Conclusion

The dialogue between Nic and Bonny illuminates the multifaceted nature of the modern workplace, shaped significantly by the contrasting perspectives of different generations. Baby boomer Nic emphasizes the importance of foundational elements such as reliable technology and effective management to foster productivity and engagement. Gen Zer Bonny advocates for a workplace that prioritizes collaboration, personal experiences and employee feedback. This intergenerational exchange highlights that while the traditional office model may be evolving, the core objective remains the same: to create an environment that meets the diverse needs of all employees. By integrating insights from all generations, organizations can navigate the complexities of effective workplaces.

About the Series

Hybrid work has necessitated a balancing act to create workplaces that satisfy both employer and employee needs. Our five-part 2024-2025 CBRE Global Workplace & Occupancy Insights series has explored effective versus efficient metrics, strategic hybrid programs, the role of physical spaces and the transformative power of technology and AI. Taken together, the articles illuminate a comprehensive approach to creating productive and satisfying work environments. CBRE is also publishing supplemental articles that provide deeper insights into the themes and trends discussed in the five-part series.

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