- Indian Gen Z professionals prioritise pay, flexibility, and purpose over traditional roles
- Gen Z values work-life balance, remote work, and travel as key retention factors
- 82% of Gen Z use AI for problem-solving, but 44% worry about AI's job impact
Young professionals in India are rethinking career choices, placing a premium on pay, flexibility and purpose while showing less appetite for traditional, long-tenure roles, according to Randstad India's latest study, The Gen Z Workplace Blueprint.
This report draws on a survey of 750 Indian respondents to highlight key trends in work preferences, career mindsets, retention drivers, and attitudes toward AI and learning.
The report states that Gen Z demands better pay, flexible hours, and work–life balance, which, according to them, serve as motivators than extra leave or conventional perks.
Additional retention drivers include opportunities to travel and the option to work remotely from abroad.
"Employers who embed lifelong learning, inclusive cultures, and flexible policies will not just attract and retain Gen Z talent -- they will build resilient, future-ready businesses," said Viswanath PS, MD & CEO, Randstad India, a talent company in the report.
With Gen Z set to comprise a growing share of India's workforce, the findings highlight the urgent need for companies to evolve talent strategies, workplace culture, and employee engagement models to keep pace with changing expectations.
"The Indian Gen Z's overwhelming preference for a 'full-time job with a side hustle' is a clear signal to the technology industry... Companies that actively foster this blend of technical excellence and personal autonomy will secure the next generation of top tech talent," Milind Shah, Managing Director, Randstad Digital India, said as reported by news agency PTI.
On artificial intelligence in the workplace, the survey reports that 82% of Gen Z are enthusiastic about AI, and 83% already use it for problem-solving. At the same time, 44% are concerned about AI's long-term impact on jobs, which is a higher share than older cohorts. Learning habits are also shifting, with 52% actively using AI tools to upskill, alongside on-the-job training and peer learning.
Unlike previous generations, Gen Z is not about tenure; it is about employers who invest in their growth and respect their need for balance. This shift is not a challenge but an opportunity for organisations to evolve, the report said.
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