Gen Z, the youngest generation of workers, cares deeply about work–life balance. And, according to new research, that balance includes hookups that happen during working hours.
A new survey from EduBirdie of 2,000 Gen Zers examined the impact of working from home on the respondent’s sex lives. Nearly half (47%) said that remote work has improved their sex life. Likewise, one in three said that a return to the office would damage it, mostly due to having a less flexible schedule.
Interestingly, 29% felt that returning to the office might actually improve their sex life. Perhaps because meeting people on the job could offer more opportunities for intimacy or even the prospect of an office romance.
While once taboo, office romance is not something that turns Gen Z off, either. The youngest generation of workers wants to normalize romance—or even just sex—in the workplace. An impressive 38% of Gen Zers admit they wish their workplace had a private space (like an on-call room?) for hookups or a little, erm, self-love.
That might be a hard sell to bosses. Normalizing sex at work could open the floodgates of performance issues (no, not like that) and distractibility—not to mention unwanted sexual advances. The latter is particularly worrisome, given that a staggering number of women still report being sexually harassed at work despite the impact of the #MeToo movement. Still, Gen Z clearly believes that if we can have breaks for cigarettes and mental health walks, why not sex? I mean, it could be a morale booster.
Given that remote work has lent itself to more flexible schedules, Gen Z has come to rely on what that flexibility offers, which is majorly impactful. Long lunches, slow mornings, and sex breaks are just part of what Gen Z finds important. The youngest generation of workers has been adamant about how important finding meaning in their work is, prioritizing their mental health and their overall work–life balance.
Gen Z certainly sees a ton of benefits in working from home. But many also find fulfillment in heading to the office. According to the survey, 42% feel that being around others is good for them in that it improves confidence (ah, the miracle of getting out of the sweats, showering, and actually leaving the house).
Therefore, while Gen Z appreciates that work-at-home life like the best of ’em, they’re not totally against leaving home. They just need a positive working environment that offers solid benefits, good vibes, solid flexibility and, well, the prospect of hooking up before they clock out.
