Young professionals in India are choosing careers that combine pay, flexibility, and purpose, while showing less interest in traditional long-term roles.

  • 43% of Gen Z in India prefer a full-time job with a side hustle, vs. only 16% who want a single full-time role.
  • 38% of Gen Z plan to stay less than a year in their current jobs, showing higher mobility than other generations.
  • When it comes to picking the ideal job, pay remains the top priority (29%), followed closely by flexibility in location (23%) and flexible working hours (15%).
  • 94% of Gen Z in India consider long-term goals when evaluating opportunities.
  • Better pay, flexible hours, and work-life balance are stronger retention drivers than traditional perks for GenZ.

Bengaluru, India :  GenZ (born 1997 – 2007) in India is rewriting workplace rules by prioritizing pay, flexibility, and purpose over traditional long-term jobs, according to Randstad India’s latest report – ‘The GenZ Workplace Blueprint’. This report highlights key trends in work preferences, career mindsets, retention drivers, and attitudes toward AI and learning. The findings reveal a generation that values financial security but equally demands autonomy, adaptability, and alignment with personal values.

Key Insights:

Key insights reveal a generation blending ambition with pragmatism. Indian Gen Z is redefining their career paths by seeking blended career paths way more compared to their global counterparts, seeking a balance between stability and entrepreneurial freedom.

  • Early Exits Triggered by Pay & Culture: Low pay (50%), misaligned values, and poor workplace culture are the top reasons for GenZ for quitting within a year.
  • Retention Hinges on More Than Perks: Better pay (37%), flexible hours (25%), and work-life balance (22%) are stronger motivators than extra leave or traditional perks. Some of the other interesting retention drivers include more travel opportunities (18%) and the ability to work remotely abroad (14%).
  • AI at Work: Excitement Meets Anxiety: While 82% of GenZ are enthusiastic about AI and 83% use it for problem-solving, 44% worry about its long-term impact on their jobs, a higher share than older cohorts.
  • Practical, Tech-Led Learning: 52% of GenZ actively learn through AI tools, complemented by on-the-job training (47%) and peer learning (44%).
  • Engaged and optimistic, yet cautious: 81% of GenZ feel fully motivated and engaged in their current role as compared to 92% of millennials and 91% of GenX. When it comes to dream jobs, 77% of Gen Z see their current role as a match, soaring past the global 58%, hinting at cautious optimism amid early career challenges.

Presenting the report, Viswanath PS, MD & CEO, Randstad India, a talent company, said, ”GenZ is reshaping the workplace with a rare blend of ambition, confidence, and adaptability. They want to grow fast, learn continuously, and embrace new challenges but they are equally uncompromising about their expectations. For them, compensation and financial stability are a given, but true engagement comes from flexibility, purpose, and opportunities to upskill.

Unlike previous generations, GenZ 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 organizations to evolve. 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.”

Milind Shah, Managing Director, Randstad Digital India, added, “The Indian Gen Z’s overwhelming preference for a ‘full-time job with a side hustle’ is a clear signal to the technology industry. They are a generation of digital natives who see technology as an enabler for both professional stability and entrepreneurial freedom. For us in the digital space, this translates to an urgent need to build roles that offer not just cutting-edge technology exposure, but also the flexibility and avenues for continuous AI-led upskilling they demand. Companies that actively foster this blend of technical excellence and personal autonomy will secure the next generation of top tech talent.”

With GenZ set to comprise a growing share of India’s workforce, the findings underline the urgent need for companies to evolve talent strategies, workplace culture, and employee engagement models to keep pace with changing expectations.