The trend of romanticizing the 9-to-5 job, which gained attention in the USA and the UK thanks to popular TikTok videos tagged with #CorpCore and #OfficeSiren, is spreading worldwide. Eventually, this trend has been picked up by other countries in Europe and Asia as well.
This is reported by Finway
How the Trend of Office Work Has Transformed in Ukraine
In Ukraine, this fashion emerged a bit later but has gained particular significance. While for Western youth the office is associated with a trendy style and new social rituals, in the Ukrainian context, office work has become a symbol of the desire for normalcy and stability, especially during wartime. For many Ukrainians, the office is not just a place to fulfill professional duties, but also a space to maintain the rhythm of life and an opportunity to temporarily escape from constant stress.
Many experts believe that the current surge in the popularity of office work is temporary—a sort of “honeymoon” with the corporate environment. Over time, the focus may shift towards autonomy and flexible work approaches; however, for now, young people are acquiring important skills such as:
- discipline supported by a clear schedule;
- creating personal rituals to enhance productivity;
- developing teamwork skills.
Why Gen Z Chooses the Office and Structured Work Hours
Despite some considering it a fleeting trend from social media, such phenomena rarely arise by chance. They are a response to the current challenges faced by the younger generation.
“Isolation during and after the pandemic hit young people particularly hard, as they completed their studies online and often began their careers with remote work. They have not yet gone through the classic adaptation process to a work environment. Moreover, during the ‘epidemic of loneliness,’ physical proximity to colleagues simplifies communication, accelerates the exchange of experiences, and helps build social connections that were sorely missed during remote work.”
Additionally, there is a global nostalgia for “real” life: young people are increasingly choosing film cameras, paper books, and planners over digital counterparts. This desire for materiality and the feeling of “here and now” is directly related to the office atmosphere—live communication, personal space, and rituals create a sense of stability in a world where more and more areas are transitioning to digital formats.
Another important factor is a clear work schedule, which allows for easy separation of professional and personal life. This adds a sense of control and predictability. At the same time, rising real estate prices force young people to rent smaller apartments, often sharing housing with friends, and a home office in such conditions is merely a desk by the bed. In this context, a real office becomes a place not only for work but also for arranging one’s own space according to individual needs.