The Debate: Is working from home stunting young people?

Is the boss of PwC right that working from home is holding back young people? We hear the case for and against in this week s Debate YES: Two fifths of young workers say home working is restricting their development Home and hybrid working can provide valuable flexibility and improve work-life balance. But these benefits are not always experienced equally, with younger workers potentially missing out on the workplace relationships and informal learning that more established professionals have already developed. Research conducted by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) last year found almost half (48 per cent) of 18 to 24-year-olds said home and hybrid working made it harder to build relationships with colleagues and managers. More than two-fifths, 43 per cent, feared that fewer face-to-face interactions were restricting their personal and professional development. Too often, the problem is not flexibility itself but a lack of structured support. Only 19