Gen Z doesn’t do cubicles—they’re all for creative playgrounds. They chase flexibility, autonomy, and work-life balance, not rigid hierarchies, and “twinning” careers—juggling a corporate job with a passion project—is the new normal. Job-hopping? Totally fine. Being glued to emails 24/7? Absolutely not. They tackle challenges others say they can’t, see work as both a milestone and a badge of financial independence, and value personal time, family, and friends over pointless loyalty. Offices need to be lively, fun, and inspiring, because this generation works smarter, not longer, and thrives on freedom, flat hierarchies, and the soft life aesthetic of a 12-to-5 grind done their way. Call it The Big Reset—because that’s exactly what’s happening to India’s work culture. The rules of work are being shredded, redrawn, and GIF-ified.
In response, companies are no longer only chasing profit margins; they’re blurring boundaries, embracing employee individuality, and designing workplaces for a generation that was raised on TikTok trends and memes. By 2025-end, Gen Z will make up 27 per cent of India’s workforce; and by 2030, Indian businesses are expected to employ 30 per cent of the world’s Gen Z talent. This emerging workforce in India is redefining career norms with an emphasis on flexibility, creativity, and personal wellbeing.
For many in this cohort, job-hopping is no longer frowned upon; instead, it’s a deliberate strategy to gain diverse experiences and accelerate career growth. Platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and freelance marketplaces are enabling side hustles. The traditional office environment is being replaced by hybrid models, wellness-centric workplaces, and experiential facilities like meditation rooms or team retreats. Unlike previous generations that equated success with climbing a single corporate ladder, Gen Z prioritises mental health, work-life balance, and meaningful engagement over rigid hierarchies.
Not exactly a stand off, but this change is not to say no contrasts exist; many young professionals follow conventional careers, particularly those from prestigious B-Schools. They seek stability and influence within established multinationals, embracing structured career ladders and formal managerial roles. For example, a fresh Business graduate from Harvard might join a global consulting firm with a clear trajectory toward senior executive positions. Their satisfaction comes from mastering corporate strategy, leading high-stakes negotiations, and gaining recognition in the boardroom, rather than pursuing side hustles or unconventional gigs. This juxtaposition highlights a generational crossroads in India’s workforce—one segment chasing flexibility and creative fulfillment, another continuing to value tradition, hierarchy, and the power game—illustrating that career aspirations are diverse rather than monolithic. The reason for the bend in the river is a yen for independence of the outlier. “I can’t take orders from anyone,” confesses Dhruvin Gala, a 21-year-old management graduate in Mumbai—he would have been a corporate climber aiming to be VP at 40 had he not an individualistic streak. At 18, he was organising clubbing events, working on a flat fee from nightclubs to create IPs including the guest listing, DJ and production details, collaborations, and menu curations. But he didn’t wing it; he actually made a DIY manual by joining “a friend’s father’s company initially to cut my teeth in marketing, but the 9-to-7 job left me with little time for anything else. I started my own streetwear brand in 2020 with my classmate. She retired in 2022 at the age of 21,” shares Dhruv. He re-oriented the company and now imports pickleball equipment from China (with seed funding from his father). “I want my own successful brand. Plan B? Dad’s business is there as a safety net,” reasons the young entrepreneur. He isn’t keen on getting his masters—why spend `60 lakh and then come back to end up as the third-gen nepo kid? At 15, his younger sibling is streaming online as a successful YouTuber. Staying on with one company for over five years is a Gen X, boomer trait now. For 23-year-old Hemaangi Bhat in Mumbai, her job (which she found via social media) with a PR firm is the fourth gig in five years. She completed her masters in luxury management in Milan and returned to the city to work with the corporate fabric and then made the switch. “Office needs to be lively, an interesting place to work in,” she says.
A glance at LinkedIn shows job switches are quite frequent. The spectrum has diversified with Gen Z dipping fingers into a multitude of career options including setting up cloud kitchens, launching coffee and matcha brands, organising morning raves and bake raves, and more. For 20-year-old Trishank Somaya from Mumbai, reselling sneakers came naturally. “I’ve sold Yeezys and Jordans for cool sums, reselling the moment I caught the drops. Then access turned easier for everyone. Now reselling concert tickets offers huge margins with the circuit gaining momentum.”
‘Me time’ is Z time. Twenty-five-year-old Rohan Surti from Bengaluru, is in his fourth job in eight years. “Money is good but I certainly look at PTO (Personal Time Off) gaining more priority in a couple of years,” he says. He freelanced as a photographer in a previous flexi-hour marketing job and now as a publicist, observes many in Gen Z coffee badging—coming in for a few hours to lock in presence, have lunch, and depart by 3.30 pm to WFH later. “I’ve observed the disenchantment in the millennials who spent years collating precious databases that we can access in seconds through an InstaDM. There is a definite shift in our work perspective, and speed. But I refuse to be 100 per cent available for 100 per cent of the time. That’s just a rule I have set for myself, so no carrying a laptop home after work.”
Sometimes, though rare, personal challenges define a departure from the 9-to-5 grind. Says 23-year-old Anjali Patel from Mumbai, who is supporting her parent, “The traditional work template isn’t workable for me. Creativity needs to meet the commercials.” Anjali has worked on branding and writing projects for United Nations, ComiCon, World Photography Organisation, and guest lists too for lifestyle events.
For today’s young professional, work is not just a milestone but a statement of financial independence, with salaries serving as a clear marker of personal achievement. Compared to earlier generations, freshers now often start with significantly higher nominal pay—ranging from `5-8 lakh per annum in many sectors—whereas two decades ago, entry-level salaries were modest and the growth slow; tied more to seniority than skills. The rise of new high-demand industries in the Noughties like IT, startups, and global services, combined with greater labour mobility and access to information, allows young workers to negotiate better pay and achieve faster growth. And with it comes innovation. Eighteen-year-old Ananya Kar is pursuing a psychology major in a Bhubaneswar college. She recently interned with Khelo India to apply what she is learning. She taught athletes and wrestlers the power of communication on camera, and how to introduce themselves with confidence at press conferences. “I made new friends, moving out of my comfort zone. I feel Gen Z take up a challenge easily, especially when others say we can’t,” she grins. She isn’t looking at a traditional job post graduation. Ananya is an example of how Gen Z workers are using acquired skills in a self-created niche job.
The big cities are not the only launchpad for individualistic career choices. Meerut-born 20-year-old Kanishka Kapoor’s decision to start experimenting with Dutch cinema is both calculating and creative—he spent the past few years studying filmmaking in Amsterdam which helped him gain insight into the European industry, its collaborative networks, and its relatively smaller talent pool. For him, it’s about building a strong foundation before entering the highly competitive Bollywood world. By honing his craft in an international setting, Kanishka hopes to gain experience, credibility, and a unique perspective that will set him apart from the rest.
Work-life balance is a non-negotiable priority for Gen Z. “I experienced a raw instance when the new intern on the team disappeared suddenly without trace. There were no responses to mail, calls, or social media. A week towards the completion of a time-bound project, he resurfaced, claiming a medical emergency in the family. Another refused to travel within the city to attend an event, as it compounded her stress level. Yet another the HR interviewed passed up the job opportunity as there was a contract involved,” says Sadhna Reddy, a freelance event organiser in Hyderabad. The radical shift in the work culture is that freedom, flexibility, and autonomy mean more to them than corporate loyalty. They abjure financial responsibilities. “The instability in their psychological fabric has led to a sense of no accountability in relationships—personal or at work—and a radical sense of entitlement,” observes Rupa Chaubal, clinical psychologist in Mumbai.
It is a mid-path that is being navigated skilfully and cautiously. Sociologist and Assistant Programme Manager at CEQUIN Delhi, Swapnil Pareek says, “The pandemic and the internet have been big paradigm shifts for this generation. Their biological wiring is different. They want to retire by the time they are 35 years old, and travel the world before that,” she explains.
In the New Age of Work, as young people from small town flock to metros to build careers, a quiet reordering of social structures is taking place. Families, once the unquestioned nucleus of emotional, financial, and logistical support, are increasingly being supplanted by friends many of whom are from the same career spectrum. The new generation chooses cities not just based on jobs but also on where their closest friends live. Friends become replacement families.
Take Bengaluru’s tech corridors: young engineers fresh out of college often decide to live within a few kilometres of friends from their campus days or colleagues from their first job. They rent apartments together, divide chores, celebrate festivals, and share rides to work. These friendships are more than casual companionship—they are the scaffolding that helps them navigate city life. If one friend is on a night shift, another might cook and leave dinner ready. When someone is sick, friends step in to accompany them to the hospital or help with medication. When someone’s cat or dog needs a temp home while the owner is travelling, friends step up.
Compare this with a generation ago. Support systems were almost exclusively family-bound. Career decisions were usually made keeping the family home base in mind. If someone fell ill, parents or siblings were the default caregivers. Emotional and financial cushioning came from within the household—relatives would pool resources for education, weddings, or even business ventures.
Today, young professionals are recreating those bonds with friends. A marketing executive in Delhi might spend Diwali with her flatmates, cook a collective feast, and video call her parents later. Even milestone decisions—switching jobs, buying a car, or moving to a new city—are now made after consulting friends rather than parents. Yet in some cases there is psychological insecurity. Nitya Tandon, 24, a brand strategist, considers her age a bridge between early Gen Z and late Gen Z. Raised in Chandigarh, she studied in Jodhpur, worked in Bengaluru, and now lives with family in South Mumbai. “Most of the younger Gen Z are in self-denial, taking to escapism and leaving jobs when the going gets tough.” But she isn’t getting off the bandwagon anytime soon, with grass green on both sides. With the advent of AI and ChatGPT and an entire universe of competitive learning, Nitya has been busy refreshing and upgrading her skills via programmes on Coursera. “We have broken stereotypes, as a creative generation. Without the influence of Gen Z where would Gen X and boomers be?” Disha Duggal, 29, an art therapy practitioner in Goa reflects the angst they went through. “Most of us navigated on our own through the pandemic, with no relational education. We had to go through extremes. This has created the perspective that if it is not serving me, let it go. These issues are magnified in workplaces, and we become self-centred,” She conducts workshops for corporates. Disha did the drill in a 9-to-5 job and moved to Goa independently during the pandemic. “I feel staying for too long in a job limits me. I am also a hula hoop performance artiste and an illustrator. I’d rather explore my passions, make money, and travel.” Archana Jambusaria, a Mumbai-based psychologist, breaks the phenomenon down to basics: “Gen Z is hypersensitive, anxious, with a good IQ level, but an unsteady EQ level. Their survival instinct tells them to get away, as a solution to problems. Unable to flower under rules and regulations, they do not like to observe dress codes, and prize productivity over discipline.”
Startups and companies are diluting their frameworks and policies to comply with the changing mood. Says Advait Gupt, co-founder and CEO, Kulfi Collective in Mumbai, “We have a tacit understanding of a casual, relaxed dress code in office. Come as you are, in T-shirt, shorts and chappals. GenZ started working after 2020. They see the work template differently. They see 9-to-5, six days a week an anomaly since they have experienced remote working as a way of life. With over 50 per cent of our workforce being Gen Z, a large portion of our HR policy revolves around the hybrid model: Three days in office, remaining two WFH. We have also institutionalised ‘Pause Day’: Once every quarter, a random day is given off to all employees, putting a complete halt for 24 hours to what we are doing.”
This may be clear exceptions in the traditional sector where corporate titans like Narayanamurthy and Srinivasan advise extreme work timing, high performing Gen Z will be put off. Clearly with the attrition rate high in this age group, an environment needs to be created where people find a purpose, and a deeper relation with the ecosystem. “I want my opinion to be heard, and respected. There was no creative freedom in my previous job with a corporate, and I felt suffocated,” says Vedika Sud, 23, heading a digital publication editorially in Mumbai. “I’ve been working since 16 but I find I am growing the most in my present work space. My work is mostly remote, I am earning less, but I am happy,” she says.
The change is coursing through the work fabric across Tier II and Tier III cities. A growing section of Gen Z is comfortable staying at these locations owing to lower din and cost of living. Plus91Labs in Gwalior, headed by Tushar Dhawan, brings in 70 per cent Gen Z in the work force. “We have a flat hierarchy. This works well as Gen Z brings in fresh thinking, voicing their ideas openly and even taking leadership on projects early in their careers,” he says. “We have introduced remote-first options and flexible work schedules to give them larger autonomy.”
There is an element of play in the work space too with board games, Lego, air hockey tables making their way in to enhance productivity through chill out zones. “We bring elements of outdoor breakthroughs into our work space as well,” shares Advait. “We recently invited Sofar Sounds to host an intimate musical evening with three independent artistes performing at our office space, transforming it into a musical venue, connoting that here is a space where more happens beyond work. This is in addition to frequent offsites. We have monthly ‘Panchayats’ where we come clean on how the company is doing financially; then there are interactive workshops.”
For Gen Z, a rewarding career creates a deep sense of purpose, engagement, and the power to achieve their goals brings in the passion. But they are not conformists and prioritise recognition at work. Says Deeksha Rajani, Founder of Be, in Gurgaon, “One of the biggest challenges we face while working with Gen Z is their relationship with discipline and long-term focus. For us, discipline was synonymous with structure, hours, and a clear path to our goals. Gen Z, conversely, often approaches work without a defined sense of direction. They may have ambitions, but the sustained drive to pursue them consistently is sometimes lacking. Add their desire for instant gratification; deeper thinking, task prioritisation, and time management are particularly demanding.”
Educational institutes are stepping up, reweaving curricula to keep pace with tech-savvy minds who live firmly in the moment. Tarun Pandey, COO India Sub Continent, Istituto Marangoni Mumbai Fashion and Design Training Centre, observes, “Gen Z students adapt quickly to technology and have a steep learning curve. Gen Z students are digitally agile, driven by initiative, and skilled at multitasking such as balancing freelance projects, internships, and academics. Their clarity and ability to selectively focus helps them filter information efficiently. Overall, Gen Z is more aware, mature, exploratory, and adept at leveraging their learning compared to previous generations.”
The digital nomad lifestyle of millennials has given way to Gen Z’s digital-native mindset, rendering old paradigms redundant. “As mentors and educators, it is our responsibility to integrate digital fulcrums into their learning to make it a safe space,” notes Ankita Brahmi, Deputy Director, Global Luxury Goods & Services Management Program, SP Jain School of Global Management Mumbai.
Gen Z wants it all: authenticity, autonomy, clear values, equity, fairness, flexibility. Spirituality has traded God for the universe, gratitude journals, and manifestation. Yet the Indian work scenario is not all wine and roses. “While a misdemeanour on their part invites criticism, Gen Z finds it easy to slip into victim mode and play the blame game. Often small towners are unable to handle the big city, and many from the comfort-driven Delhi culture ethos cannot handle the Mumbai hustle culture. The generation can resolve many of its issues by learning the value of respect,” says Archana, citing a Gen Z student receiving a monthly allowance of `50,000 while still cheekily dubbing his father “Motabhai.”
Rupa adds, “Gen Z are great, quick communicators but have scant respect for elders, with social media comments serving up ample proof. They need to ingrain mindfulness and the fact that they need not have an opinion on everything.” Is this trend a case of expecting 10 on 10 while delivering two? Swapnil wonders. “Mental health has become larger than life. What was called the ‘midlife crisis’ is happening earlier now. Gen Z is a generation raised differently and is experiencing instability in everything—work, relationships, dollar prices, gold, changing family structures, with more adopted kids, pet parents, same-sex marriages reconfiguring our culture…they are questioning everything. They are akin to the hippie gen in the 60s in US and Europe that left people aghast first. Gen Z in India is the first generation that is shaking up the traditional work culture and may appear a bit crazy to the older generations, but their heart is in the right place.”
This is in keeping with the cyclical theory of change. You can see the shift towards spirituality, yoga, veganism, dip in clubbing, rise in power of manifestation and belief in the universe. The worst hit is the institution of marriage, with colossal pour-ins at flashy weddings and warring couples in therapy days later. The stage is set for a dip in population with DINK couples on the rise. Contradictions apart, the Z in Gen Z can maybe be described in one syllable. Zest.