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92% of Young People Want a 4-Day Workweek So Much They're Willing to Make This Other Major — and Controversial — Professional Sacrifice Gen Z doesn't dream of labor — or five days in the office.

By Amanda Breen Edited by Jessica Thomas

Key Takeaways

  • Gen Z and millennial workers will forgo remote and hybrid work if it means extending the weekend.
  • They're willing to make other sacrifices too, including working longer hours and switching roles.

The five-day workweek, the U.S. standard since the Great Depression, might be coming to an end.

Nowadays, 92% of young people say they want a four-day workweek so badly that they're willing to give up other professional perks for it, according to a new Bankrate survey reported by CNBC Make It.

Related: Why You Need to Consider Implementing the 4-Day Workweek

Perhaps the biggest sacrifice young professionals are willing to make? Saying goodbye to remote and hybrid schedules: One-third of Gen Z and millennial workers say they'd accept a fully in-person role if they could tack an extra day onto their weekends, per the survey.

That might come as a surprise to some, considering how divisive return-to-office policies are. Although some CEOs and senior leaders frequently push for more in-person days, their remote and hybrid employees who have to commute aren't always on the same page.

In fact, Gen Z and millennials value remote and hybrid work so much that three-quarters of them working in remote or hybrid roles would consider finding a new job if their employer requested they go on-site full-time, according to a recent Deloitte report.

Related: This Is What It's Actually Like to Work a 4-Day Workweek

But they'll do it for a shorter workweek. And they'll make additional sacrifices for it, too, the Bankrate survey found, including working longer hours (48%), changing jobs or companies (35%), working weekends or evenings (27%) and even taking a pay cut (13%).

Many Gen X and boomer workers are also interested in a four-day workweek, and they're even more willing (61%) to work longer hours to make that a reality, per the survey.

Amanda Breen

Entrepreneur Staff

Senior Features Writer

Amanda Breen is a senior features writer at Entrepreneur.com. She is a graduate of Barnard College and received an MFA in writing at Columbia University, where she was a news fellow for the School of the Arts.

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