61% of millennials would quit their job if they were asked to work in the office five days a week

According to a new study, 61 per cent of millennials would quit their job today if they had to work five days a week at the office.

It looks like full-time office work is a thing of the past, as a survey by Employment Hero confirmed that the majority of people between the ages of 18 and 44 are really passionate about working remotely.

According to the study, 88 per cent of interviewed participants said they worked from home at least once a week.

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When asked the main reason for staying home to work, 22 per cent said it boosted productivity, and 20 per cent said it improved the quality of work.

First-time dad Dan, who didn’t disclose his last name for privacy reasons, told news.com.au that working from home has allowed him to spend more time with his family.

He said: “All I need to do my work is my laptop, phone and good internet.

“There’s no wasted time commuting to the office, wasted time in meetings or mundane conversations.

"As I’m a new Dad too, the time saved from commuting means I get to use that time with my wife and baby.”

Employers were also asked why they continued to encourage working from home post lockdown, with 34 per cent insisting that it improved employee well-being. 

Just over 30 per cent said it improved employee happiness, while 23 per cent said it was due to the high volume of employee requests. However, 22 per cent said it was to increase productivity.

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But remote working wasn’t for everyone, as one participant told Employment Hero that they crave the social interaction they would normally get from the office.

They said: “Working from home was very isolating, living alone made it difficult. It was difficult to communicate properly with my colleagues as needed without being there in person - it made everything take longer. I also missed the interaction, day-to-day chatting with colleagues and working directly with pupils.”

Employment Hero’s research also supports a survey conducted by Melbourne University, which found that working from home is the highest among 25-34 year-olds.

The lead author of the survey report, Professor Guay Lim, said the pandemic had shifted the attitudes toward what ‘normal’ work life looks like.

Professor Lim said: “Employers and employees have adapted.

"Should working from home become part of the new normal, it will have fundamental effects on infrastructure needs and policies concerned with connecting where people live with where people work.”