The modern workplace has changed a lot in recent years. An attractive salary alone is no longer enough to attract the top talent poised to break new ground.
In our assessment of today's young professionals, here at Career Fair Plus we detailed how Gen Z values a work/life balance above other considerations when it comes to picking employers. And as today's most significant industries undergo rapid digital transformation, achieving a work/life balance has become much more attainable through tech-enabled, creative, and flexible new workplace models. Across certain cities in America, flexible scheduling options, partial to full-time remote working set-ups, coworking spaces, and coliving/coworking residences are now becoming part of the new business ecosystem, creating spaces and opportunities for Gen Z and like-minded individuals to thrive.
Kansas City, Missouri
CREDIT: By Jordanbruening - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=48646651
In a comprehensive study involving America's 50 largest cities, career advice website Overheard on Conference Calls identified Kansas City in Missouri as the friendliest big city for remote workers. The study looked at a combination of factors to rank the cities in terms of overall friendliness to the remote working community. These factors include cost of living, commute times, availability of coworking spaces, number of coffee shops per capita, and even the average Wi-Fi speeds —for which Kansas also ranked first. If you're looking for reasonable rent with plenty of options and opportunities for a remote working set up — including the fastest average Wi-Fi speeds in America — it might be worth considering Kansas.
Chicago, Illinois
CREDIT: By Jleon and Mcshadypl - Montage of photos available on Wiki CommonsFile:2010-02-19 16500x2000 chicago skyline panorama.jpg panorama of Downtown Chicago by JcrockerFile:Chicago Sears Tower.jpg The Willis Tower by DschwenFile:20070719 Chicago Theatre.JPG the Chicago Theater by TonyTheTigerFile:CTA waiting on the platform.jpg by DschwenFile:Navy Pier.jpg Chicago's Navy Pier by CybjorgFile:FieldMuseum.jpg The Field Museum by Ancheta WisFile:Gehry Pritzker.JPG Millenium Park by Mobius, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25703738
Despite the high cost of living in Chicago, Fast Company details how it remains a very popular metropolis for young Gen Z professionals looking for career opportunities. Apart from comparatively expensive residential rental rates, The Windy City also offers the physical presence of many multinational companies that are now embracing innovative and flexible working models. In fact, flexible working has become rampant in the city, as evidenced by the many coworking spaces in Chicago established by Industrious. Access to spaces like these are not just beneficial for the 200,000 businesses that make their home in Chicago, but also for the top Gen Z talent that they're looking for — as both can benefit from the flexibility afforded by non-traditional coworking space contracts.
Memphis, Tennessee
CREDIT: By TrevB at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45190361
It's certainly not the first city that comes to mind in terms of metropolitan business hubs. However, not only is Memphis one of the cheapest cities to live in the U.S., experts also project massive growth in the city center. This has led the city's Downtown Mobility Authority's to draft new transportation reorganization plans, in an effort to pre-emptively support this projected growth. Aimed at lessening the daily volume of cars on city roads by providing flexible transport options, the new move is poised to attract Gen Z workers who want to spend more time working and less time sitting in traffic.
Miami, Florida
CREDIT: By Averette - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14742920
A new trend called coliving is being combined with coworking spaces, a developing coworking model that in the U.S. has found a home in Miami. Slated for completion in 2021, a proposed 646-unit residential building will be funded by a $161.5 million loan secured by developers PMG and Greybrook Realty Partners. Apart from high-end gym equipment, restaurants, and other expected luxury amenities, the new building which will be located at will also have its own dedicated coworking spaces. With the potential to provide most Gen Z workers' needs in one location, these new residential/coworking models could set the foundation for top talent to pursue thriving careers without sacrificing a work/life balance.
New York, New York
CREDIT: By Jleon at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31006130
Is any list of attractive metropolises that attracts young and ambitious people complete without at least mentioning New York? Notoriously high rental costs, rising overall cost of living, and an unforgiving business culture are not enough to put off the next generation of top talent in America. But if you're the type who thrives in the deep waters of competition, be our guest. After all, if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.
