Flexible work culture is ‘key consideration’ for young people, study finds

Pandemic ‘prompted a tremendous shift in attitudes towards what working looks like,’ says report leader

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Young people are increasingly seeking jobs with companies who offer flexible working cultures, a new study has found.

According to research conducted by business finance lender Sonovate, the pandemic has triggered a shift among 18 to 34-year-olds, who no longer want a traditional nine-to-five job.

The report, which was based on a survey of 4,500 adults in the UK, found that more than half of young people don’t believe they need to be in an office full time to learn what they need, and feel they are well equipped to work virtually.

Meanwhile, more than a third of people who took part in the survey between the ages of 18 and 34 said that they had changed their career in order to work more flexibly during the pandemic.

Additionally, two out of five younger people questioned said they did not want to work the way they did before the pandemic.

Richard Prime, co-founder of Sonovate, said: “As the pandemic caused a significant proportion of the UK’s younger employees to lose jobs or go on furlough, young workers had more time than ever to consider what they want from their careers.

He continued: “The crisis prompted a tremendous shift in attitudes towards what ‘working’ looks like, with companies left with no choice but to accommodate home-working, many for the first time ever.

“Younger people’s preferences towards portfolio careers and multiple side-gigs are rooted in a desire for a better work/life balance and to make an income from what they are passionate about.”

Additional reporting by PA