Our working lives have undergone drastic changes in the past 50 years or so. Our grandparents and parents found used to find jobs right after graduating from school, and then often stayed in that job until they retired. Today, the working generation – largely millennials – are more likely to move on to a new company every few years. 

There are many things that motivate people to switch companies every few years, but improving work/life balance tends to be one of the top reasons millennials seek out a new job. Newer companies are often attractive to the younger generation because they allow remote working, which leads to a more flexible work/life balance.

A major factor in bringing this shift in workforce philosophy is the phenomenal impact that technology has had not just on our working lives, but on our personal lives, too. We are always connected to the outside world, and whereas many of our parents left the office and left their work there, today’s workload follows you around wherever you go, since you can always log in to check emails through your smartphone or tablets.

Our workplaces are different too: many offices have embraced open plan spaces with fewer offices, but with more breakout areas that have comfortable sofas. The environment encourages creativity, and an emphasis on ensuring the employee has the brain-space to give their all to their company without burning out.

Many people are not even based in a physical office. Again, forward leaps in the tools we use to do our jobs mean that your office is just as likely to be your local coffee shop as a physical building.

Hot desking, remote working, and flexible hours all demonstrate just how far we’ve come from the static job that our previous generation not only sought, but expected. Today, workers are more inclined to apply for a job that promotes work/life balance.

Workers who require office space for occasional client meetings are far more likely to rent executive office spaces on an as-needed basis than unnecessarily pay to lease an office they only need on occasion.

The way we work continues to evolve, and companies continue to try and keep up with the changes.