Some experts worry that remote and hybrid work is leaving some early-career workers behind
Photo: Shutterstock
In some ways, Gen Z workers are thriving in the new world of work. They have entered the workforce at a time when flexibility is commonplace, digital communication is ubiquitous, and workers have the power to demand from companies what they want.
However, at the same time, some experts are concerned that remote and hybrid work is leaving some workers behind in the early stages of their careers, as the BBC reports. Many of these concerns revolve around the absence of intangibles in the workplace: a lack of the casual conversations and informal observations that traditionally teach new workers how to act.
Employees with little or no experience lose the ability to collect vital data that guides their behavior, collaboration and networking.
“These concerns are mainly about communication,” explains Helen Hughes, an associate professor at Leeds University Business School, in Britain. “It's things like understanding rules, values and etiquette: Who should they call? How should they be contacted? Is there someone they can't communicate with?”
These kinds of questions used to be answered directly, face-to-face. Additionally, fixed positions in offices tend to indicate hierarchy. Body language indicates when colleagues are more approachable.
But with so many new employees now working either remotely or hybridly, the above is not a given.
Without being able to gather behavioral data from office colleagues, new hires can struggle to strike the right balance between appearing either over-eager or underwhelming, Hughes says. “There's a chance they have broader concerns about how visible they should try to be. In a hybrid or remote environment, it can be very easy for them to go under the radar and find that their work goes unnoticed.”
The result, says Hughes, is that many workers in the first stages of their careers, they prioritize the impression they make at work over their actual performance. “They may ask too many questions to appear eager, or they may ask nothing at all because they're worried about how they'll be perceived by their colleagues.”
Ultimately, says James Bailey, a professor of leadership development at George Washington University School of Business, in the US, chance meetings with colleagues help build trust, fostering an environment of risk-taking and innovation.
At the same time, Bailey says some Gen Z employees may not develop leadership skills. that are required for the future.
Of course, the above does not apply to every employee who works remotely. But for many of these inexperienced employees, telecommuting can exacerbate new job stress.