A Trending Topic For People in Their 20s and 30s

Recently there has been a rising trend of companies switching their staff from mandatory in-person to remote jobs. There are many reasons why this change benefits companies, but why are people so into it? Many people in their 20s and 30s prefer the remote job lifestyle to the traditional office route. Here are just a handful of reasons why:

1) Better Work-Life Balance

 One of the greatest appeals of working from home is the wonderful work-life balance that organically happens. A prominent attribute of Millennial and Gen Zers are the emphasis on working to live, not living to work. This distinction can be seen by people prioritizing to clock out, producing excellent and timely work, and taking care of themselves above all else. Because they don’t have to walk by the manager’s office as they clock out, people don’t panic to find an excuse to NOT work overtime…again. 

2) Easier to Live Alternatively

While I’m sure we are all into the idea of living like members of Panic at the Disco, that is not the alternative I am referencing. There is a new trend of people living as Digital Nomads; people living transient lives while working online. With not needing to be somewhere, people are deciding to live everywhere. A part of our generation’s core values is the adventurous spirit, seeking to appreciate the larger world. By having a job that can be completed anywhere with an internet connection, one can have a stable income and explore the world. Going hand in hand with the work-life balance, employees have the freedom to choose to travel for weeks at a time as long as they are getting their projects completed. 

A prominent attribute of Millennial and Gen Zers is the emphasis on working to live, not living to work.

3) Saving Money

Yes, you read that right. There are so many ways that working from home can save you money without you even thinking about it. I’ll break it down into three categories: clothes, food, and gas. When there is ‘no dress code,’ we all know there is a dress code, and that does not look like our regular wardrobe for a lot of us. On top of the fact that our clothes are only part of the appearance factor: hair, makeup, shoes… so much extra cost to simply impress people you barely know. Next is food; how much money do you spend on food to ‘treat yourself after an exhausting day at work? When you are asked to go to lunch with coworkers? Or your morning coffee and egg muffin for your commute? Speaking of commute, what about the cost of gas? I told you, so many needless expenses are eliminated when you work from home. 

4) Environmental Impact

Now that I have uncovered the financial ease, how about the lessening effect working from home as on our carbon footprint? Because we aren’t commuting, we are obviously using less gas and emitting less carbon dioxide. You could have guessed that. But, how about the fact that we no longer need single-use plastics, paper products, and electricity in office buildings. Working from home (well, seeing coworkers less, mainly) gives people opportunities to switch to more organic products, which could be a tough transition. We also can benefit from showering less: improving overall hair strength, skin health, and reducing our water intake! Sounds like a big checkmark to me. 

5) Personal or Sick Days

What could be more productive than a healthy, confident staff? I always do my best work when I am feeling happy, well, and focused. There is always a gigantic level of anxiety when one is approaching, asking for a sick day or personal days, coming up with extravagant excuses to be approved for one that you already have the right to use. You settle into your own body by working from home and understand the difference between knowing you need a day off or just a nap later. This also means that when you need a day off, you are more confident and comfortable asking for one without that fearful phone call. Shooting a quick message from bed is a much more efficient way to get everyone on the same page while prioritizing yourself. Which you should always do because if you won’t, who will

6) Routine, routine, routine

While we are on the topic of a healthy body leading to a productive life, let’s talk about routines. My friend Alyssa has a beautiful afternoon routine where she takes 30 minutes to get in a quick at-home workout to boost her energy level, gets her nice afternoon skincare routine in, AND a delicious lunch. Talk about BIG queen energy. My routine is a bit softer because that’s my business. An early wakeup to take my pup on a walk, followed by a light 10-minute yoga stretching to wake me up. Coffee and an excellent breakfast follow my morning skincare, then I’m online at 8 am. The beauty of working from home is that you can accomplish whatever you are comfortable doing. The extra energy leaves you room to invest in yourself to become the person you’ve always wanted to be. 

7) Sustainable Positivity

To further that sentiment, having the extra energy you didn’t expend to keep yourself afloat means creating more room to grow. I mean that instead of trudging through a trying conversation with a coworker about their pet, you can spend that energy on yourself. While that might only sound appealing to introverts, extroverts use the same principle too. Instead of stressing about the quickest way around an hour-long traffic jam because you spent too long gabbing it up with your favorite barista, you can spend that power later by going to a fun salsa dance class. I know I am at my happiest when I can get done with work and still have the energy to spend with my partner and friends, even after a long day. This also comes from the ability to keep me fed, rested, and quenched immediately as the feeling arises. No fear of burnout means longevity at my company and means I can improve my skill set. 

8) Customizable Work Areas

Like I mentioned above, everyone has their unique routine and personality. By working from home, you can have your space as clean, messy, minimal, or animated as you want it. This self-expression can benefit you to work more efficiently. It also creates a level of ease in which creativity can flow more freely. I am absolutely the person paying attention to coworkers’ desks and can’t focus if it is overflowing and disorganized. I can keep my space EXACTLY how I like it by working from home, so starting and ending the workday feels consistently excellent. This also improves coworker relationships by lessening opportunities for frivolous tension, thereby increasing cooperation. 

9) Inclusivity 

If Upkey has said it once, we’ve said it a thousand times: diversity and inclusion are the backbones of progress. Having diverse backgrounds breed creative problem solving and innovative leading; the future is headed by brilliant and unique thinkers. Modern companies are getting wise to this idea and see the benefit in remote jobs by being able to cast a wider candidate net. Meaning your coworkers can come from any country, culture, and city. A wonderful part of remote jobs is getting to meet real people from all around the world. I have the absolute privilege to work at Upkey who boasts an incredibly diverse staff from over 10 different countries. I’ve learned many interesting things from causal conversations with coworkers, like what mate is and that other towns and families in Serbia have specific saints days to celebrate. I feel like a better member of the world and have a much richer experience because of my company!

10) Cultivating Communication

What an unexpected delight. Because you are working remotely, it absolutely does not mean you are working alone. Teams and departments are still a vital part of a productive company; remote working means we all have to be on the same page. This not only forces us to use more efficient software but also keep up with coworkers and superiors. Having my whole team on project management software means I know exactly what I need to accomplish, and what my counterparts are working on to finish a project. It makes me value my work, their work and gives our superiors a tangible timeline to peek at. Say goodbye to missing documents, loose ends, or a delegation miscommunication. A fluid work environment means a better relationship between coworkers and a stress-free headspace to breed new creatives. 

How Can Upkey Help?

Well, I hope I have convinced you to explore an avenue you might not have before. Or, at least, I informed you about what your cooler cousins are talking about when they say that working from home is ‘the best’ without giving any follow-up reasoning. If you are interested in looking for jobs, take a look at our Upkey Jobs portal. Make sure to check the effectiveness of your resume with our Resume Scorer before you submit it to your new dream job. Interested in figuring out what general jobs are right for you? Check out our article “Career Options Based on Your Myers-Briggs Type” for some guidance.