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The Truth About Twentysomethings Returning to the Office

Despite claims that young people are resisting in-person office work, many twentysomethings are already there and plan to be in the future…

Written and Edited by the YPulse Editorial Team

Aug 21 2025
North America

KEY TAKEAWAYS

News of return-to-office mandates are challenging young people’s post-pandemic norm of working from home or on hybrid schedules
But despite assumptions otherwise, many twentysomething professionals are already working in-office full-time, with even more holding on-site only jobs
Looking ahead, they plan to continue working in-office, as long as they have flexibility and the opportunity to build community

For young employees, the traditional idea of being in the office five days a week is no longer the norm. The pandemic normalized remote work, and now hybrid setups and fully virtual jobs are a common part of many industries. As they came of age in this hybrid and remote-friendly workforce, many young professionals have never experienced a strictly in-person, 9-to-5 office culture the way older generations did. Now with about “return to office” (RTO) mandates dominating the news cycle, many assume young workers are reluctant to give up the flexibility they’ve grown accustomed to. Older generations often see remote and...