Exploring remote work

a study on the perception of centennial generation

Resumen

Remote work has been widely adopted by organizations. In this context, this study aimed to answer several questions regarding the adaptation of centennials (born after 1995) to this type of work. It is in this generation that companies seek talent to meet skill needs (creativity, innovation, leadership). This is an exploratory study that began with a literature review, followed by the application of a questionnaire created in the Google Forms© tool. The forms were sent to students in the Administration course at the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (PUC-SP) via email and WhatsApp, resulting in seventy-four valid responses. The sampling of responding students was obtained through the technique known as snowball sampling. Only 28.2% stated that their productivity improved when working remotely, something that can be justified by distractions with smartphones and social networks. Another important issue was related to the time that Centennials gained in their routines, considering, for example, that they did not waste time commuting to work. In this aspect, 33.80% (24) stated that they used their time very well, 21.13% (15) used it well ("Using time well," in this context, refers to the effective utilization of time for value-generating activities, such as spending time with family, engaging in physical exercise, reading etc.). Remote work has value among centennials because it provides them with autonomy and free time. The study warns that a generation is just a generalization and that organizations will need to strive to understand that generation to get more productivity from it. The limitation of the study lies in the small number of respondents and the homogeneity of the sample; however, it does not invalidate the results and suggests the need for further studies aimed at better understanding this generation.