• Gen Z is resisting the return-to-office push, with many unwilling to work in the office full-time.
• Many leaders are big RTO fans, leaving middle managers caught in the crossfire.
• Workplace commentators say the debate centers on trust and think policies need to reflect this.

Leadership and junior employees are clashing over returning to the office — and middle managers are caught in the middle.

A recent survey of 1,161 British adults aged 18 to 27 conducted by YouGov for The Times newspaper found that 17% would like to work from home all the time, with a further 24% saying they'd like to most of the time.

A Pew Research Center survey released in January found that 46% of respondents who work from home at least some of the time would be unlikely to stay at their current jobs if they could no longer do so.

Leaders, meanwhile, are running low on empathy. They are rethinking the value of hybrid working and eliminating those deemed to be low performers with tactics such as stealth firing.

Middle managers are already in a tough spot after being squeezed out by layoffs and the "Great Flattening." They now find themselves with another burden — how to best mediate the RTO battle.

Workplace commentators told Business Insider that middle managers must embrace flexibility to handle this lack of harmony, while focusing on building trust.

"For Gen Z, full-time office work can feel like employers are putting a limit on their independence," says Allison Nadeau, the VP of talent management and acquisition at the HR and recruiting software company iCIMS. "When employees feel trusted and valued for what they deliver, not just where they work, they'll show up in a bigger way."

Transparency and trust

Gen Zers seem to value honesty and get frustrated by inconsistent messaging.

Most don't remember a world where many jobs involved going to the office five days a week, every week.

Natalie Marshall, known as "Corporate Natalie" on TikTok, where she posts workplace skits and has amassed almost 750,000 followers, told BI that Gen Z workers are quite transparent with their expectations.

They're upfront about their paycheck and ability to work from home being their priorities, and many won't even apply for a job if a salary is not listed. They're also very candid about their mental health — even with their managers.

Many Zoomers expect the same transparency from their employers in return. Yet Marshall said the RTO pivot has left some feeling like the "rug has been pulled from under them."

"When that trust feels broken, and you told me I didn't have to go to the office, why am I in here four days a week, five days a week?" she said. "That's when the problems happen."

Nadeau told BI that middle managers can deal with this tension by "striking a balance between the benefits that come along with office attendance and flexibility."

"Gen Z employees need to understand the personal benefits of returning to the office," she said. "So, what's in it for them?"

Emphasize the benefits

Much of the RTO debate boils down to autonomy and trust, Nadeau said.

"Company leadership that requires in-office attendance must find ways to honor Gen Z's desire for flexibility and autonomy," she said.

Edel Holliday-Quinn, a business psychologist, told BI that middle managers can reframe office attendance as an opportunity, not an obligation, and explain how it can benefit them: "If office time doesn't serve a real purpose, people will resist it."

Anita Williams Woolley, a professor of organizational behavior at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business, told BI that leaders need to be "very clear and specific" about the benefits of being in the office — such as enhanced teamwork and collaboration, more opportunities for being mentored, and career advancement.

Otherwise, she said poorly planned RTO plans can raise costs for companies through increased turnover and reduced motivation.

"If the benefits are not that great for employees or are primarily for the organization, leaders will need to decide if they stand to gain so much that they are willing to accept a potential reduction in the quality of their current or future workforce as a consequence of forcing everyone back to the office," Williams Woolley said.

Meeting in the middle

If RTO benefits are actually clear and well communicated, "then those who are most committed to growing in the organization will be most likely to take advantage of them," Williams Woolley said.

Despite negative stereotypes, Gen Zers have much to offer their middle managers — not least their savviness with AI tools.

If companies are interested in keeping their top Gen Z talent, Holliday-Quinn said they need to meet them where they are — "not where leadership would prefer them to be."

James Uffindell, the CEO and founder of Bright Network, added: "Trust and a structured approach to flexibility are key to making the most of Gen Z talent. Clear communication of workplace expectations and opportunities for skill development are essential to unlocking Gen Z's full potential."

• Some young consumers exploit loopholes like wardrobing and "digital shoplifting" to save money.
• These practices are hurting retailers' bottom line.
• Brands are imposing stricter return policies and fees in some cases to combat the problem.

Some young consumers are trying to make their money go further by taking advantage of retail loopholes such as returning items after wearing them once, using chargeback services on credit cards — or even pretending they didn't receive the things they ordered.

In response, some retailers are hitting back by imposing stricter return policies and fees.

"Returns are very expensive for brands — it's an enormous part of their cost structure," Michael Yamartino, the CEO of Route, which works with some 13,000 brands to track and insure packages, told Business Insider. "If it's being abused, it's easy for that to make the brand unsustainable."

Shoplifting in the digital age

Some consumers are reportedly engaging in a practice called "digital shoplifting." They buy a product online that gets delivered safely to their home, but they lie to the retailer and say they didn't order it, or claim it never arrived or was stolen, scoring a refund for an item they're keeping.

They might also report the transaction to their credit-card company and request a charge-back to get their money refunded, while still keeping the item.

Socure, an anti-fraud company, recently surveyed 2,000 people and found about half of Gen Z and millennials who earn more than $100,000 a year said they had digitally shoplifted in the past year. Wealthier customers might be more savvy about bank and merchant policies and how to abuse them, a Socure executive told Fortune.

Inflation hitting 40-year highs and interest rates breaching 5% for the first time since the financial crisis have turned the screw on many households. Combined with influencers marketing digital shoplifting as a money-saving hack on social media, and generous refund policies among merchants, may help explain the trend.

Serial returners

Returns are also a headache for retailers as it takes time and money to transport products back to warehouses, assess their condition, issue refunds, repackage and ship them to a new customer, or liquidate, donate, recycle, or dispose of them.

The National Retail Federation and Happy Returns, a UPS company, projected in December that the value of returns in the US would be $890 billion in 2024, with retailers estimating that about 17% of purchases would be returned.

A previous NRF report found that return rates for online purchases in 2023 were 17.3% — far higher than the 10% rate for in-store purchases.

"Serial returners" in the UK send back goods worth almost £7 billion ($8.7 billion) of items a year, a report by Retail Economics and the returns company ZigZag found.

Route's Yamartino told BI that the rise in online shopping since the pandemic meant an "increase in the returns rates, particularly with younger buyers."

Route's State of Ecommerce Report 2024 report found that Gen Z is the most likely cohort to engage in "wardrobing" — buying items with the intent to return them after wearing them — with 40% of the Zoomers in a survey of 1,250 consumers saying they would do so.

Social media has also popularized shopping hauls — showing off multiple items you bought from one store. Many of these items may be sent back after one use.

"What we're seeing is people buying it, using it lightly, and then returning it," Yamartino said. "So it's just the right item, it's exactly what they want, but they don't want it for that long."

Many young consumers have grown up with social media stars, "so there's a lot of concern about image," he added. "Using something like wardrobing as a tactic can help you fake it till you make it."

Brands fight back

In response, some companies have started adding tags or ribbons to items to prevent them from being returned once worn or charging customers if they send back items too often.

Asos started telling some customers last year that they could not make any more orders if they had returned too many things too often, The Cut reported. The fashion retailer has also introduced a £3.95 ($4.90) return fee for some UK-based shoppers unless they keep items worth more than £40.

Other retailers cracking down on repeat refunders include Oh Polly, Zara, and PrettyLittleThing.

It's a difficult balance to strike as many consumers like to purchase multiple items from online stores because they're not sure of the sizing and don't want to be penalized for returns.

Route can help brands create profiles for customers, Yamartino said, so loyal customers aren't affected, and others are invited to pay a small amount upfront rather than hefty fees.

"It lets us use the data that we have on folks to make the right decision about those purchases, and lets the brands protect themselves and help offset the cost of these returns programs that are getting more and more expensive," he said.

• Gen Z and millennials keep buying plushies, or stuffed animals in a boost for the toy market.
• A Mintel analyst said plushies are "kind of hot right now."
• Adults spent more than $1.5 billion on toys for themselves in the fourth quarter of 2024, Circana found.

Gen Z and millennials' love of plushies is bringing some cheer to the toy industry.

Young adults adore their stuffed animals, whether they're hanging onto the battered old ones from their childhood, buying a viral 5ft goose on TikTok shop, or spending a premium to add to their collections of Squishmallows.

A recent Jellycat pop-up in the London department store Selfridges was filled with patrons buying fuzzy $25 or more versions of cod and fries, mimicking a British fish and chip shop, The Economist reported. In Asia, a furry, spikey-toothed rabbit creature called Labubu has a hold over people well into their 30s.

This comes amid struggles for the toy sector.

A report by the market research company Circana found that toy sales across the G12 nations declined by 1% in the first half of 2024. That was an improvement on the 8% decrease in 2023, which Circana credited to purchases being made by adults — for themselves.

The report found that people aged 18 and over accounted for sales worth more than $1.5 billion in the last three months of 2024, putting them ahead of purchases made for toddlers aged 3 to 5 as the industry's most important age group.

Juli Lennett, Circana's vice president and toy industry advisor, said in a statement that "while the toy industry is feeling the heat, it is ripe with opportunity."

Mintel's Traditional Toys and Games report, published in October 2024, found that plushies were particularly in demand. The report found that stuffed toy sales have been growing, and just over a third of all toys and games purchased in the US in the past year were building sets and plush toys.

Brian Benway, the senior tech and gaming analyst who worked on the report, told Business Insider plushies are "kind of hot right now."

He said plushies are "tracking right along with Lego and building-set type of toys and games. Lego, of course, is a huge brand in the toys and games industry, so to see plushies up there with Lego is very positive for them."

Spark nostaglia

Melissa Symonds, executive director of UK toys at Circana, told BBC News that adults buy toys for the "positive mental health benefits, as they spark nostalgia and bring escapism from global turmoil."

A more cynical outlook is that some millennials and Gen Zers are slow to grow up, partly because they faced delays in reaching pivotal life moments such as getting a job, moving out of their parents' homes, and buying a house. For them, plushie collecting is merely a coping mechanism.

Carter Kench, a content creator and avid Squishmallows collector, told The Washington Post in 2023 that he owned more than 400 of the round stuffed animals made by Jazwares. The company was bought by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway in 2022.

Kench said the experience of searching for a specific plushie was "something special — I feel like Indiana Jones every time I'm on the hunt."

Data from Mintel showed that 52% of all people buying games last year were adults buying for themselves.

'Little bit of happiness'

"It's becoming more acceptable," Benway said, with communities on social media being more open about sharing their interests.

"A lot of people are taking the approach that, well, I don't care if other people think this is dumb, this brings me a little bit of happiness, a little bit of joy, so I'm going to keep doing it."

Benway added: "Lady Gaga posted a picture of her bed just absolutely covered in Squishmallows on Instagram. So if Lady Gaga can do that, anybody can."

A report by Grand View Research found the global market for stuffed animals and plush toys is expected to grow 8.2% annually until 2030. Sales of cartoon toys catering to fandoms are predicted to rise even more, with a 9.8% annual increase.

• Gen Zers are less satisfied with their jobs than other age groups, per Pew Research.
• Additionally, nearly 30% of people are not too or not at all satisfied with their wages.
• Some people are frustrated that prices are significantly higher than they used to be.

Gen Zers and people with lower incomes are less satisfied with their jobs than other Americans.

Seventeen percent of respondents between the ages of 18 and 29 — the highest percentage of any age group surveyed — said they were not too or not at all satisfied with their jobs, per a Pew Research Center survey published on December 10. The 18- to 29-year-old cohort is predominantly Gen Z. Pew surveyed 5,273 US adults who were employed full- or part-time in October.

Additionally, 16% of respondents with lower family incomes said they are not too or not at all satisfied with their jobs, the highest percentage compared to middle- and high-income earners.

In recent years, job market challenges and rising prices have weighed on Americans, and it's affected how some of them feel about their current roles. While the unemployment rate remains low compared to historical levels, a widespread hiring slowdown has made it harder for some people to switch jobs. Additionally, while inflation has slowed, some people are frustrated that prices of goods and services are significantly higher than they used to be — and that their salaries haven't risen enough to keep up.

Meanwhile, some employed adults aren't satisfied with how much they're paid. Among the 29% of workers who said they were not too or not at all satisfied with their pay, the top reason they gave was that their wages haven't kept up with the cost of living.

To be sure, half of the Americans surveyed said they were extremely or very satisfied with their jobs while 38% reported being somewhat satisfied.

Are you feeling stuck in your current job? Reach out to this reporter at [email protected]

• A woman's creative out-of-office emails sparked debate on professionalism and workplace norms.
• Experts say OOO emails should reflect a company's culture.
• Legal and social issues can arise if OOOs don't align with employer expectations.

The backlash to a woman's creative out-of-office emails has caught the attention of TikTok and ignited a debate over how much personality to bring to work.

Thara Moise, better known as Chef Moise, is a TikTok creator and private chef who also works a regular 9-5 as a catering and sales manager.

In a recent TikTok, which amassed more than a million views, she said she had received the "same talking to" from her boss at her day job multiple times due to her "super cute" out-of-office emails.

The emails would include stories she'd made up, historical facts, or wellness tips.

"Tell me why I had another conversation with this man today about how unprofessional that is," Moise said, adding that she felt like her personality was being "smothered by corporate America."

"Am I wrong?" she asked.

Being creative can work

Some saw her creative automated emails as unprofessional, while others thought it was a sign that her workplace was stifling and restrictive.

"Imagine you sent an urgent email to someone and their automated response was a story instead of letting you know who to contact while they're out," read one comment, which received 21,000 likes.

Workplace analysts are also divided on the issue, saying it may all depend on the specifics of your office and the people in it.

Carla Bevins, an associate teaching professor of business management communication at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business in Pittsburgh, told Business Insider that OOO emails are an extension of workplace communication.

"While injecting personality can make them memorable, it's important to balance creativity with professionalism," she said.

However, Rich Mehta, the founder of the digital marketing agency Rigorous Digital, said that adding some personality into an OOO email could be beneficial in the right workplace setting.

"From the sendee's perspective, getting an OOO isn't usually a nice experience," he said. "Surprising someone with what can otherwise be a bit of a rubbish experience introduces dissonance, which usually means you'll be remembered."

Issues can arise

In more traditional workplaces, legal issues might arise.

Jo Mackie, a partner and employment law specialist at the law firm Burlingtons, told BI that inappropriate, offensive, or rude messages should never be tolerated, "but that begs the question of who decides what is and is not appropriate."

Raising the conversation three times shows that Moise should take notice, Mackie added, as failing to "follow a wilful management instruction" in employment law can potentially lead to disciplinary action, she said.

"If this continues, there is also scope for an employer to claim there has been a breakdown in trust and confidence between the employer and employee," she said. "And that is grounds for a breach of contract claim and may lead to dismissal."

Reading the room

Joelle Moray, a psychotherapist, workplace dynamics consultant, and the author of "What Are We Doing?! Radical Self-Care for the Hustle Culture," said that Moise's story is an example of the need to "get it right" rather than "being right."

Moray advises that individuals start by reading the room and deciding whether their workplace is more conservative or relaxed.

Then, they should take some time to consider who will read the email and why they want to add a casual tone or anecdote.

"Are you adding a wellness tip because you're the wellness committee chairperson?" she said. "Are you adding a historical factoid because you think they would be interested, or are you adding this so that you appear interesting?"

Moise told BI that she had found the response to her video funny for the most part, though some had veered into bullying or calling for her to be fired, which was "unnecessary," she said.

"Most people expressing negative thoughts are projecting their insecurities about being different or odd," she said. "I am incredibly accomplished on my own and have always navigated the workforce with ease."

Moise's workplace did not respond to a request for comment.