The Debate: Is working from home stunting young people?
Is the boss of PwC right that working from home is holding back young people? We hear the case for and against in this week's Debate.
The debate surrounding the impact of remote work on young people's development continues, with PWC's Marco Amitrano arguing that it is hindering their growth. He suggests that working from home creates a lack of accountability and that basic office skills, like picking up the phone, are being neglected in younger generations. However, Kelly Nicoll, a former president at IOSH, counters that flexibility can actually be beneficial for young workers.
She highlights that flexible working arrangements provide much-needed work-life balance and can improve personal and professional development. Nicoll points out that research by IOSH found that 43% of 18 to 24-year-olds felt that fewer face-to-face interactions restricted their development. However, she emphasizes that it is not flexibility itself that causes the problem, but a lack of structured support from employers.
Only 19% of young workers receive regular constructive feedback when working from home. Nicoll argues that the key is for employers to actively create opportunities for young people to develop, build relationships, and feel part of their organization, regardless of whether they work remotely or in-person. Studies show that well-structured hybrid working can even lead to increased retention and productivity.
Young workers with mental health conditions, disabled people in the workforce, and older workers nearing retirement particularly benefit from flexible arrangements. The best employers are already implementing strategies like structured mentoring, team days, and managers skilled in integrating new starters, regardless of their work location.
The Employment Rights Act's approach to flexible working requests presents an opportunity to make this norm rather than the exception. Ultimately, the analysis concludes that remote work will never replicate the development benefits of good in-person management, but remote work is not inherently detrimental to young people's growth.
The real challenge lies in how employers structure and support remote work environments to ensure young workers still receive the necessary guidance, relationships, and career progression opportunities.
Written by urgent.news from City AM's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
