Eager to get into the office? Depends on your age A generational divide exists between people who want to get back to in-person work, and those who want to stay home. By Nelson D. Schwartz and Coral Murphy Marcos New York Times July 26, 2021 — 10:29pm Text size Copy shortlink: David Gross, an executive at a New York-based advertising agency, convened the troops over Zoom this month to deliver a message he and his fellow partners were eager to share: It was time to think about coming back to the office. Gross, 40, wasn't sure how employees, many in their 20s and early 30s, would take it. The initial response — dead silence — wasn't encouraging. Then one young man signaled he had a question. "Is the policy mandatory?" he wanted to know.