marketing generations. Targeting on different generations.

Many of the office staff employed by commercial cleaning companies and jan/san distributors worked from home at some point during the COVID-19 pandemic, and some still do. If one recent study is any indication, whether or not a particular employee enjoys their current work-life balance often depends on the generation they represent.

Commercial Cafe surveyed 1,496 people workers nationwide representing the four presently-employed age groups: Baby Boomer, Gen X, Millennial and Gen Z.  They found that more than half of those surveyed are still working from home, with the Millennial the most like to have returned to the office. Nine in 10 Millennials and eight in 10 members of Gen X are employed full-time, whereas six in 10 Gen Zers and 56 percent of Baby Boomers said they're working full-time. None of those stats are surprising, especially considering the age of each group. However, the survey does start to get interesting when examining work-life balance. 

More than half (55 percent) of Baby Boomers say their work-life balance hasn't changed much. When it comes to Millennials, 42 percent think the balance has improved and just 22 percent say it has gotten worse. Gen X seems to be in agreement with the generation directly below them, as 38 percent say work has gotten better and just 24 percent say it has gotten worse. Then there's Gen Z. The youngest of the four generations working today, Gen Zers think their work-life balance has gotten worse. More specifically, 37 percent don't like how things have changed, compared to the just 30 percent who do.

Mirroring what each generation reported in terms of their present work-life balance, the survey showed that the younger the generation, the more likely they are to be stressed by work right now.

Another notable survey result is that Millennials and Gen Xers are more receptive to being paid less if it meant having a more flexible schedule. 

To check out the rest of the survey, click here.