A new study reveals that Generation Alpha (individuals born from 2010 onward) expects their jobs to be radically different from those of their parents, ranging from the end of daily commuting and email to routine work with robots.
Produced by the International Workplace Group (IWG), a global leader in hybrid work solutions and owner of the Regus, Spaces, and HQ brands, a new study conducted with young people aged 11 to 17 and their parents, all residing in the UK and the US, asked questions about how they expect the work environment to have changed by 2040 – when Generation Alpha is projected to comprise the majority of the workforce.
The survey showed that nearly nine in ten (86%) members of Generation Alpha expect their professional lives to have transformed compared to those of their parents, making office routines unrecognizable compared to today's practices.
Daily Commute Extinct by 2040
One of the most striking predicted changes concerns commuting. Less than one-third (29%) of Generation Alpha expects to spend more than 30 minutes commuting to work each day – the current standard for many parents – with most anticipating the flexibility to work from home or closer to where they live.
Three-quarters (75%) said reducing time wasted on commuting would be a priority, allowing them to spend more time with their own families if they become parents in the future.
Robots and AI Will Become Commonplace, and Email Will Be a Thing of the Past
The study also explored significant technological predictions, heavily focused on artificial intelligence (AI) – a finding unsurprising in 2025. For 88% of Generation Alpha, the use of smart assistants and robots will be a regular part of daily life.
Other anticipated technological advancements include virtual reality headsets for 3D virtual meetings (38%), gaming areas (38%), rest pods (31%), personalized temperature and lighting settings (28%), and augmented reality meeting rooms (25%).
And perhaps in the boldest prediction of all, one-third (32%) say email will be dead, replaced by new platforms and technologies enabling more efficient collaboration.
Hybrid Work Will Underpin the New Reality
The research also found that hybrid work will be the standard model. For 81%, flexible work will be the norm in 2040, with employees having the freedom to choose how and where they work.
Only 17% of Generation Alpha expects to work in a main office all the time, with the majority likely to split their time between home, local workspaces, and headquarters, ensuring they can perform their tasks as efficiently as possible. Among the key benefits of moving away from a rigid in-office model are reduced commute-related stress (51%), more time with friends and family (50%), improved health and well-being (43%), and more productive workers (30%).
This flexibility is expected to boost productivity to such an extent that one-third (33%) of Generation Alpha believes the four-day workweek will become standard. In the US, 22% of workers report that their employer offers a four-day week, according to the study ‘2024 Work in America Survey’, conducted by The Harris Poll in partnership with the American Psychological Association.
“The data reveals a very clear mindset shift among the young people who will soon occupy most of the workforce. In Brazil, we already observe a growing demand for flexible models that bring people closer to where they live and provide a better quality of life,” says Tiago Alves, CEO of IWG Brazil. “Companies that understand this trend and structure hybrid operations now will be better prepared to attract Generation Alpha talent and compete in an increasingly technological and decentralized professional environment,” he adds.
“The next generation of workers has made it clear: flexibility regarding where and how to work is not optional, it's essential. The current generation grew up seeing their parents waste time and money on long daily commutes, and the technology available today has essentially made that redundant,” states Mark Dixon, founder and CEO of IWG. “Technology has always shaped the world of work and will continue to do so. Thirty years ago, we saw the transformative impact of widespread email adoption, and today, the advent of AI and robots is having an equally profound impact – influencing how and where Generation Alpha will work in the future,” the executive adds.
