The Future of Work: A Battle of Generations or Just the End of an Old Myth?

Ah, the great return-to-office debate. If there’s one thing that can divide a comment section faster than AI ethics or pineapple on pizza, it’s the question of whether workers should be herded back into office cubicles like it’s 1998.

Two recent BBC articles https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0qww8xdvnwo? and https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp9x0819417o ?present completely opposing views on this: one insists that if you’re not at your desk, you’re not really working (because apparently, the only way to be productive is under fluorescent lighting), while the other champions the remote revolution as the only logical way forward (because who wants to waste time on a commute when you could be working in your pyjamas?).

Being a Gen X professional, I find myself caught in the crossfire of this generational standoff. On one side, we have the Baby Boomer brigade, still clutching their briefcases and convinced that if they can’t physically see you, you’re probably watching Netflix. On the other, there’s Gen Z, who are quite happy to let employers know they’re not prepared to tolerate outdated notions of "bums on seats" just to prove their worth. And in the middle? Us Gen X’ers, the original hybrid workers who learned to hustle in offices but also discovered that work-life balance is more than just a buzzword.

Let’s be clear: just because something worked before the pandemic doesn’t mean it’s the best way now. If history has taught us anything, it’s that times, attitudes, and cultures move on. There was a time when people believed open-plan offices were the pinnacle of workplace innovation. Then, we realised that actually, forcing people into shared spaces with zero privacy just created a breeding ground for frustration, distraction, and the office cold. Likewise, insisting that work can only happen when people are physically present ignores a very obvious fact: the world has changed. Technology has changed. Expectations have changed.

Yet, despite overwhelming evidence that remote and hybrid models can boost productivity, retention, and access to a much wider talent pool, the old guard still clings to the idea that "real work" only happens in an office. This mindset is not just outdated - it’s inefficient. At the CX Foundation, we wouldn’t have been nearly as successful or scaled as quickly if our talent pool was limited to just Sussex and Surrey. The best people for the job aren’t always within a commutable distance of an arbitrary HQ. And why should they be?

The truth is, this debate won’t last forever. Boomers will eventually retire (sorry, but it’s true), and Gen Z will take their place. The workforce will continue to evolve, just as it always has. The real question isn’t whether remote work is here to stay, it’s how long some leaders will continue resisting the inevitable before they finally accept that the future of work isn’t about where you sit, but what you deliver.

So, what’s it going to be? Sticking to an outdated model just because "that’s how we liked it before"? Or embracing the shift that’s already happening and positioning your business for long-term success?

Your move, corporate dinosaurs.