Another key finding from the survey was that more respondents prioritised their work-life balance over salaries, even as inflation and the rising cost of living continue to be concerns.
In the Randstad survey, 49 per cent of respondents said they would leave jobs that required them to spend more time at the office. Nearly 70 per cent of Gen Z respondents agreed with the statement.
Most Gen Z workers also said they would not work for a business that does not provide sufficiently flexible working hours – 68 per cent – as well as location – 61 per cent.
Forty-two per cent of respondents said they would not accept a job that is too inflexible.
At the end of the day, what matters is the output
Among the respondents, 26 per cent have quit their jobs due to the lack of work flexibility.
Work-life balance is also becoming a higher priority for employees, with 95 per cent of respondents saying this is important for current and future jobs, compared to 90 per cent who said pay is important.
Jaya Dass, managing director of permanent recruitment at Randstad, said that organisations must equip their middle managers with the ability to better understand what flexible work looks like, and offer that support to their teams.
“[Workers] are seeking growth and development rather than career progression,” she said.
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Archana Srinivasan, a human-resources director of a private company and a senior professional from the Institute for Human Resource Professionals, pointed out that the Covid-19 pandemic had changed how flexible work arrangements were offered.
She said members of Gen Z have come to expect this, given that they have likely spent most of their working life in the post-pandemic era.
Companies have to tackle challenges like ensuring that employees across different generations are taken care of, and that their differences do not divide them when they are collaborating in the workplace, she added.
“It’s about enabling people from different generations to thrive, not just individually but also collectively,” Archana said.
Workers in Singapore are also in a “very good place” to demand or expect such flexible work options due to the element of trust between employers and employees, she said.
“I think a natural question from workers is: ‘Why should I be just sitting in the office if I can work efficiently, irrespective of where I’m based, or irrespective of the hour in which I’m working?’,” Archana said.
“At the end of the day, what matters is the output, so I would say that’s what’s changed.”
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Meanwhile, the survey respondents also expressed concern about social and environmental issues in their workplace.
Thirty-seven per cent said they would not join a firm if it does not take steps to go green. This was especially true for the younger generation, with 67 per cent of Gen Z respondents expressing the strongest desire to work for companies that are making a proactive effort to be sustainable.
Thirty-nine per cent said they would not accept a job if the employer does not promote diversity and inclusivity.
Family leave, a diverse workforce, and gender pay equity were among the most important equity, diversity and inclusion policies that respondents wanted in their current and future workplace.