As companies pour billions of dollars into AI and automation, the youngest generation in the workforce is embracing something decidedly old-school: pen and paper.
Across offices, Gen Z workers are turning to premium notebooks, colorful desk pads, handwritten notes, and Post-it notes as a way to focus, stay organized, and make increasingly standardized workplaces feel more personal.
For Jessie Lei, an HR professional, having a workspace that feels like his own is especially important.
“A space that I can call my own, I think, is very important.”
Lei’s favorite office perk is something remarkably simple: free Post-it notes. He uses them to take meeting notes, pin reminders to his monitor, and keep track of ideas instead of storing everything digitally in Google Docs.
The sticky notes also serve another purpose. During breaks, Lei uses them as miniature sketchbooks, drawing cats, birds, and artwork inspired by his favorite songs.
For him, handwriting isn't just nostalgic. It helps him concentrate and retain information.
“Handwriting helps me focus and remember information better than typing.”
Lei says that having something tangible in an increasingly digital workplace has become a small but meaningful boost to his well-being.
The analog revival is becoming a retail trend
The return to paper is part of a broader analog revival among younger consumers, extending from physical music and retro technology to stationery and office supplies.
A July survey from office-supply company Quill found that 94% of Gen Z and millennial office workers find it more satisfying to physically cross an item off a paper to-do list than to check off a digital task.
Digital overload appears to be driving some of that preference. With Slack messages, emails, and Teams notifications constantly competing for attention, many younger workers are looking for simpler, more tactile ways to work.
According to Quill's head, Gil Grandbois, Gen Z workers are twice as likely as boomers to handwrite notes in a journal or during meetings.
The preference extends beyond notebooks. Quill found that 56% of Gen Z workers would rather leave a colleague a Post-it note than send them a direct message.
And younger workers aren't necessarily settling for basic stationery. Demand is growing for premium notebooks, colorful leather desk pads, higher-end writing instruments, and other supplies that allow employees to express their personalities.
Nearly one-quarter of Gen Z and millennial workers surveyed said premium office supplies can increase their motivation as much as upgrading their technology.
Stationery companies are seeing the same shift. Papier, for example, has expanded its focus on analog products such as scrapbooks and notecards, with sales reportedly doubling between 2022 and 2025, largely driven by Gen Z consumers.
The wider market is growing, too. The Business Research Company estimates that the global luxury writing instruments and stationery market will increase from $4.33 billion in 2025 to $4.53 billion in 2026.
The real office upgrade may be a desk of your own
The renewed interest in analog tools is also connected to something bigger: the desire for a workplace that feels personal and permanent.
Lei, who has worked several short-term contract jobs, remembers decorating one of his former workspaces with five Japanese kokeshi dolls arranged from shortest to tallest. He also kept a thrifted teacup nearby as his personal tea station.
When sunlight moved through the office windows and reflected off the dolls, he would sometimes stop to photograph how the scene changed.
He also kept his own artwork around his desk.
Those small personal touches, he said, made the workplace feel more stable.
“Just little decorations — my own handmade mark on the office — makes a huge difference for the amount of stability I feel in that space.”
Calvin Lee, who works at anime streaming company Crunchyroll in San Francisco, has a similar perspective. For him, having a permanent desk makes return-to-office policies much more appealing than constantly rotating between hot desks.
As an anime fan, Lee enjoys turning his workspace into an extension of his personality.
His maximalist setup includes Pokémon sticky-note pads, Genshin Impact-themed pens, Marvel fidget toys, stickers covering his laptop, and practical items such as lip balm and eye drops.
“As an anime fan, it gives me joy to personalize my own space.”
Lee says he enjoys balancing functionality and comfort while displaying the things that reflect his interests.
The personalization is also social. Because employees have assigned desks, he enjoys seeing how coworkers express themselves through their own spaces.
Personalization is about more than aesthetics
Leah M. Omilion-Hodges, a professor specializing in leadership communication at Western Michigan University, says the trend reflects something deeper about how Gen Z approaches work.
Younger workers, she argues, tend to bring considerable intention and authenticity to their jobs. Their use of decorative notebooks, stickers, and personalized desks isn't simply about making an office look nicer.
Instead, it challenges the idea that there is only one correct way to work.
Rather than conforming to rigid workplace conventions, Gen Z employees are increasingly comfortable finding tools and environments that help them work effectively.
That could explain why something as simple as a handwritten note or a decorated desk can matter in an era dominated by AI.
The workplace of the future may be increasingly automated and AI-powered. But behind every screen is still a person who wants a little focus, a little personality — and somewhere to stick a Post-it.