4 min readMar 28, 2023 02:48 PM IST
First published on: Dec 31, 2022 at 12:00 PM IST
As someone who has recently joined the workforce in India, let me reiterate what the still-unemployed Gen Z-ers already know — it’s really tough out here. From a gruelling search and interview process, to finally landing a job I can be proud of, it’s been quite a year. I ridiculed “hustle culture” all through my liberal-leaning academic days but when it came to implementing my principles in real life, I had no hustle to ridicule. I scrolled through social media, reading story after story of exhausted people, all waiting for a pause and a moment to breathe. And here I was, breathlessly promising never to take a break if I ever did land a job.
And yet, during this time of unemployment, all the articles I came across only ranted about Gen Z’s new fad for “quiet quitting” (one of the workplace trends of 2022, it seems) and its “lazy approach” to professional life. As a distressed member of Gen Z, anxiously on the lookout for anyone who would employ me, I was not in the least interested in “quiet quitting” or being a “lazy” employee. Some of us really do want to hustle, even if we don’t identify as “tech bros” or “finance bros”. I was charged and ready, in fact, to just never quit at all. And so, this New Year’s Eve, my wish list as part of the younger generation employee club, entering the Indian workforce on the cusp of 2023, is:
To be taken seriously: By everyone, including veterans. We are all trying our best here and we can’t afford to “quiet quit”. As Indians who have followed one stream throughout their academic careers, we don’t necessarily have the luxury of switching fields, for example, from publishing to tech, and competing with others who may be more qualified and better trained for these jobs. So we are prepared to learn and earn every day.
To be given a chance: To earn our place at the company. We are not looking to jugaad our way through anything. The only jugaad we hope for is connecting to a person who is willing to throw us a bone. We recognise the struggle of past generations, and it is from reading and listening to those stories that we inform ourselves of the obstacles we don’t want in our life. So please listen to us with some generosity because you never know what you might find.
To be adequately trained: And recognised for our potential, for what we bring to the table. If we are a little slow to start it’s not because we are “lazy”, but because we may still be finding our feet. Our inexperience should not be held against us. We want to be mentored for growth so we can contribute to our workplaces better. Lend us a hand — and your time, and we will never have to resort to “quiet quitting” because we will be spirited and hustling.
And so, I only request employers to recognise our situation, growing up in a world where we haven’t known rest, or an alternative to capitalism — and allow us time to settle into ourselves. Some of us joined the workforce during a pandemic and we are only now familiarising ourselves with workplace etiquette. Criticise us so we can learn and please, just be a little patient with us. Yes, we recognise the toxicity of work culture that pushes some to engage in “quiet quitting” but honestly, with the current state of the job market — that is our last concern. We want to make it work, and we want to make it work with you. So here’s hoping that 2023 brings us a little more credit, a little more faith, and a lot more opportunities!
adya.goyal@expressindia.com
Some of us joined the workforce during a pandemic and we are only now familiarising ourselves with workplace etiquette., writes Adya Goyal. 
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