Gen Z graduates want to come into the office unlike reluctant millennial mums and dads

See more This is Money on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Updated: 17:00 EDT, 6 September 2026 Gen Z graduates are keener to come into the office than millennial mums and dads who have become used to working from home, a top PwC executive has revealed.Phillippa O’Connor, UK chief people officer at the accounting giant, said that while some experienced staff with children had found it tough to abandon remote working, new starters were grasping the opportunity to learn from colleagues sitting next to them.The comments highlight a generational gap between office workers who logged in from the sofa during pandemic lockdowns and found it hard to return, and their younger colleagues only now entering the world of work.PwC expects employees to be present at work at least three days a week. PwC expects employees to be present at work at least three days a weekO’Connor said: ‘Our early careers folks have been enormously positive about that because they find this is the critical point in their career, they build their networks both with each other and with more senior stakeholders in the organisation.‘It’s also such a critical learning time for them.‘The ability to learn - you sit next to somebody and you watch them do something and you’re a part of that client call – has been demonstrably a positive impact of the hybrid policy.‘We haven’t had any problem with that population [graduates] wanting to be in the office and actually the feedback we’ve had from them about it and the benefit it gives them – that group stands out above everybody else in terms of the benefit they get from being together in person.'She added: ‘The population that found it the most challenging were those in our parent and carer population.‘We’ve heavily put in place support mechanisms. We’ve combined hybrid with everyday flexibility. We trust our people and they come in when they need to and they leave when they need to.’The comments came as research published by the Social Market Foundation think-tank and backed by PwC revealed the importance of a first job which offered ‘strong support, training and a clear route to progress’.People starting in such a role went on to earn an average £55,000 salary by the age of 35, compared with £27,000 for those starting out in a ‘low mobility’ role with fewer opportunities to develop, the study found. This is Money podcast