Home working damaging young workers

Many older and more established professionals have benefited from hybrid arrangements. But younger workers are struggling to adapt to a system that leaves them feeling they’ve been cast drift by their employer, disconnected and unsupported.

Around half (48 per cent) of 18 to 24-year-olds say home and hybrid working makes it harder to build relationships with colleagues and managers. More than two-fifths (43 per cent) fear fewer face-to-face interactions are restricting their personal and professional development. A third feel demotivated.

Even for those who attend the office every day, workplace relationships appear to have suffered. Of this group, 39 per cent reported that the shift towards hybrid and remote models of working has made connecting with colleagues more difficult.

Between 400,000 and 600,000 young people are set to enter the UK workforce after leaving school, college or university, this summer.

Little guidance

The absence of in-person mentoring and guidance is compounding the problem. Fewer than one in five workers overall (17 per cent) receive constructive feedback two to three times a week. This rises slightly to 19 per cent among 18 to 24-year-olds. Among entry-level staff, only 16 per cent benefit from regular mentoring. While just one in five hybrid or office-based employees have structured weekly check-ins with their line manager.

The impact on mental health is stark. One in six young workers (17 per cent) say their wellbeing has worsened. More than a quarter (28 per cent) feel cut off from their workplace community. That figure rises to 36 per cent among entry-level workers and 32 per cent among those at intermediate level.

When asked what would help younger workers succeed, the overall response was clear. Structured check-ins with managers topped the list (45 per cent), followed by wellbeing and mental health support (42 per cent). Others included clearer career development pathways (40 per cent), in-person mentoring or coaching (35 per cent) and more opportunities for face-to-face collaboration (35 per cent).

Hybrid working is IOSH’s preferred work model. IOSH President Kelly Nicoll believes businesses must better engage their newest workers, so they can reach their individual potential and help businesses thrive.

“They need to make room for daily informal catchups and also set weekly and monthly one-to-one sessions to cover performance and address wider issues such as health, safety and wellbeing, as well as mentoring, coaching and career development,” Kelly added.

“Mental health risk management should be fully integrated into occupational safety systems and management practices need to be updated to reflect the evolving demands of a multigenerational, hybrid workforce.”

Writer, broadcaster and activist Natasha Devon believes younger workers are missing the mentorship and career guidance which happened organically for older generations.

“We know that adopting a flexible, people-first approach to work allows employers to remain competitive in a global economy. The retention of younger workers is a vital part of this,” she commented in response to the IOSH research findings.

“Understanding that the world of work looks and feels very different for Gen Z than it did when older generations entered it, plus the fact they might be missing privileges we took for granted, is a good starting point.”

*The research was conducted by Opinion Matters, among a sample of 1,044 office workers (aged 18+), with at least 500 respondents aged 18-24 and a minimum of 500 respondents in hybrid jobs. The data was collected between 29.07.2025 – 07.08.2025.