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New IWG study reveals kids expect a radically different workplace by 2040 — powered by flexibility, technology, and AI.

A new study from the world’s largest provider of hybrid working solutions, International Workplace Group (IWG), reveals that Generation Alpha expects the future of work to look nothing like it did for their parents.

From saying goodbye to long commutes and endless emails to collaborating side-by-side with AI and robots, young Australians are imagining a smarter, more balanced, and deeply connected workplace powered by technology.

🧩 A Generation Ready to Redefine Work

Surveying children aged 11–17 and their parents, the IWG research uncovered striking insights into how the next generation envisions their future workplace:

  • 86% believe their jobs will differ dramatically from their parents’¹

  • Only 29% expect to commute more than 30 minutes to work, predicting the death of the daily commute²

  • 88% expect to work regularly with AI or robots, with one-third foreseeing the end of email⁴

  • 81% say hybrid working will be entrenched as the standard working practice⁵

This isn’t just wishful thinking. Hybrid workers today commute 15.7% less than full-time office workers³, while 38% of Australian employees already use generative AI tools in their roles⁴ — trends that show Gen Alpha’s imagined future is already taking shape.

🚗 The Commute: On Its Way Out

One of the most profound changes predicted by Gen Alpha is the extinction of the daily commute. Less than a third (29%) believe they’ll spend more than half an hour travelling to work² — a dramatic shift from their parents’ current routines.

In Australia, this trend is already underway. The 2025 Real Insurance Commute Report shows Australians spend an average of 64 minutes commuting daily¹, yet average times have dropped from 61 minutes in 2019 to 52 minutes in 2023, a 15% decrease².

Supporting this shift, research from the University of Sydney’s Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies found that hybrid workers commute 15.7% less than full-time office workers³.

Three-quarters (75%) of Gen Alpha respondents say reducing commuting time will be a top priority, giving them more time for family, wellbeing, and life beyond work.

🤖 AI, Robots, and the End of Email

Technology is at the heart of Gen Alpha’s future. 88% expect to be working regularly with smart assistants and robots⁴.

This future is already emerging. Deloitte Australia’s 2024 research shows 38% of Australian employees are using generative AI tools at work⁴, a number set to grow rapidly.

Other predicted innovations include:

  • VR headsets for 3D meetings (38%)

  • Gaming zones (38%)

  • Sleep pods (31%)

  • Customisable environments with individual lighting and temperature controls (28%)

  • Augmented reality meeting rooms (25%)

Perhaps the boldest prediction: 32% believe email will be obsolete⁴, replaced by faster, more efficient collaboration platforms.

🏠 Hybrid Working: The New Normal

If one theme defines the workplace of 2040, it’s flexibility.

The IWG study found 81% of young Australians believe hybrid working will be standard⁵. Similarly, the Australian HR Institute (AHRI) reports that 82% of employers expect hybrid work to remain or increase over the next two years⁵.

Only 17% expect to work full-time from a central office. Most envision splitting their schedule between home, local co-working hubs, and a central HQ, creating balance and efficiency. Key benefits include:

  • 51%: less travel stress

  • 50%: more time with family and friends

  • 43%: better health and wellbeing

  • 30%: higher productivity

Flexibility also extends to the workweek. 33% of Gen Alpha predict a four-day workweek by 2040, compared to 11% today⁶.

💬 A Vision Rooted in Change

Mark Dixon, Founder and CEO of IWG, says:

“The next generation of workers have made their views clear; flexibility in where and how they work is not optional, but a must. This generation has watched their parents spend time and money on long commutes that technology has now made redundant. Just as email transformed work 30 years ago, AI and robotics are shaping the next evolution — influencing how and where Generation Alpha will work tomorrow.”

🧭 About the Study

The research was conducted for International Workplace Group plc by Beano Brain, a children and family insight agency, surveying 1,000 children aged 11–17 and 1,000 parents across the UK and US.

🌐 About International Workplace Group (IWG)

IWG is the global leader in hybrid work solutions and workspace brands. With around 4,000 locations in over 120 countries, IWG helps millions of people and businesses work more productively through brands such as Regus, Spaces, HQ, and Signature.

Its hybrid working platform supports 83% of Fortune 500 companies, delivering inspiring, flexible, and connected spaces, helping businesses thrive in an evolving world of work.

📚 References

  1. Real Insurance Commute Report 2025

  2. HILDA 2025 Report

  3. University of Sydney – Hybrid Workers: Evidence to Support this New Mainstream Workforce in 2025

  4. Deloitte – Generative AI in Asia Pacific: Young Employees Lead as Employers Play Catch Up

  5. AHRI – Hybrid and Flexible Working Practices in Australian Workplaces 2025

  6. ADP – People at Work 2023: A Global Workforce View