Access to a Life Coach, Coffee Machines, Subsidised Lunches and Friday Afternoons Off: Some of the Things Generation Z Workers Want from the Perfect Job in London

Access to a Life Coach, Coffee Machines, Subsidised Lunches and Friday Afternoons Off: Some of the Things Generation Z Workers Want from the Perfect Job in London

Office must-haves for today’s Generation Z workers in London have been revealed with flexible working hours (38%), getting your birthday off (38%), a travel card (33%), free snacks (28%) and a good coffee machine (25%) all making the list, according to new research. 

According to the research by office delivery and catering company, Feedr, food is a big must have for 18- to 29-year-old Londoners with 46% expecting employers to offer some sort of office food perk such as a dedicated area for eating (44%), regular lunches and dinners out (35%), free fruit (26%) and subsidised lunches (19%). 

Breakfast or lunch laid on once a week (18%), plant-based milks for tea and coffee (10%), smoothie and juice machine (9%), office pizza afternoons (7%), gluten or dairy free snacks (7%) and vegan food options for meetings (4%) all featuring among must-haves for today’s workers in London. 

Linda Blank, COO, Feedr, which conducted the research said: “There has been a lot of negativity around Gen Z’s expectations of work, however, they are the future workforce and it’s important to understand what matters to them. The research shows that young people want to feel supported, valued and respected in the workplace by employers who understand the benefits they want and value, from nutritious food to access to mental health support. Listening to employees and reacting to their needs can go a long way in attracting & retaining top talent and supporting a great employee experience.”

In fact, two thirds (63%) of Gen Zs in London believe that a happy and zen working environment is more important than a massive salary, with more than half (58%) saying that better nutrition and mental health perks are more important than old school benefits such as laptops, company cars and pension plans.

Six in ten (60%) agree that workers today have different expectations of benefits than previous generations did, with one in two (51%) of modern Londoners agreeing that young people can be unfairly judged for having high standards when it comes to their job and working environment.  

Over a third (37%) admit that their parents or older people continually roll their eyes or don’t take them seriously when they express a desire for certain perks or standards in a place of work.  So it’s no surprise that almost half (48%) of 18- to 29-year-olds agree that older Brits just don’t understand why attractive working packages are so important to them.

A whopping nine in ten (91%) believe that employers need to be more creative in terms of the working environment and perks that they offer, if they want to keep people happy in the modern age. One in three (33%) admit that lunch is the highlight of their working day, with 88% saying that it is important for them to have access to healthy meals at work. 28% would like staff to have lunch together, while one in four (25%) would like outside eating areas in the summer.

Nearly half (44%) of Londoners admit they get bored of having the same thing for lunch at the office every day, and would love to be munching on sushi (37%), burritos (34%) and noodles (33%) instead.  Fresh fruit such as strawberries (24%), pineapple (22%) and fresh mango (21%) also feature among young workers in London’s idea of the most exciting office eats, alongside curries (29%), stuffed pitta breads (12%), Greek salad (15%) and poke bowls (15%). 

Asked which office lunch they would consign to history, modern Londoners would banish tuna mayo sandwiches (32%), ham and cheese paninis (25%) and sausage rolls (22%).  A fifth (23%) would like to see the end of instant noodles, while a 20% would say goodbye to microwave meals.

TOP GENERATION Z WANTS FROM A JOB IN LONDON