The age-old cycle of toil and wealth. The ones who built empires by working 100-hour weeks now look down from their ivory towers and declare: “Gen Z just don’t want to work anymore!” Yes, because obviously, taking a break from soul-crushing labour is an affront to capitalism itself.
With business tycoons and billionaires advocating for 70-hour work weeks, one must ask—are they genuinely concerned about work ethic, or is this just another ploy to extract every last drop of productivity from the younger generation? Spoiler alert: It’s the latter.
The “I Worked Hard, So You Must Suffer Too” Mentality
Wealthy industrialists and tech moguls love reminiscing about their humble beginnings—sleeping in offices, pulling all-nighters, and surviving on instant noodles. Elon Musk famously claimed, “Nobody ever changed the world in 40 hours a week,” while simultaneously enjoying the fruits of his workers’ labour.
A 2023 study from the Harvard Business Review found that excessive work hours do not actually increase productivity beyond a certain point. In fact, after 50 hours per week, efficiency declines, and at 70 hours, burnout is inevitable. But hey, who cares about science when you can emotionally guilt-trip a generation into working themselves into the ground?
A real-life example: Indian billionaire Narayana Murthy, the founder of Infosys, recently stated that young people should work 70 hours a week to rebuild the nation. Meanwhile, his company’s employees complain of burnout and unrealistic targets. Irony, much?
Gen Z’s Rebellion Against The Hustle Culture
Unlike their predecessors, Gen Z is rejecting the outdated idea that success comes only from suffering. A survey by Deloitte found that 73% of Gen Z employees prioritise work-life balance over financial gain. This generation values mental health, flexible schedules, and—gasp—having a life outside of work. How dare they?
This has, of course, caused an uproar among employers. A report by Fortune states that 45% of hiring managers find Gen Z the hardest generation to work with. Not because they’re unqualified, but because they refuse to tolerate toxic work environments. Call it entitlement, or call it common sense.
Take the case of Tim Gurner, an Australian property mogul who suggested that unemployment should rise so that workers feel grateful to have a job. Nothing screams “good leadership” like advocating economic suffering to maintain workforce submission.
From Burnout To Early Death
For those who think working insane hours is just part of “paying your dues,” let’s talk about the real consequences. The World Health Organisation found that overwork leads to a 35% higher risk of stroke and a 17% higher risk of heart disease. Not exactly a glowing endorsement for the hustle culture, is it?
The tragic death of Jefferies associate Carter McIntosh put banking’s brutal 100-hour work weeks under scrutiny yet again. Similarly, in India, the death of 26-year-old Ernst & Young (EY) accountant Anna Sebastian Perayil sparked outrage over toxic corporate culture. But sure, let’s keep telling young people they just need to “toughen up.”
Also Read: Indian Youngsters Are Giving Up The Hustle Culture And Adopting This Instead
The Old Guard’s Jealousy Of Gen Z
Old rich men are watching with horror as Gen Z effortlessly navigates a world they spent decades building. These young upstarts video call, shop online, watch movies, listen to music, and even find love with a few swipes—meanwhile, 50 years ago, their grandfathers were struggling to muster the courage to talk to a girl in college.
The older generation fought for every inch of success, clawing their way up the ladder. Now, their children and grandchildren waltz through life with digital ease.
So, in a desperate bid to reclaim control, these modern-day Yayatis, —named after the Mahabharata king who tried to steal his son’s youth, as propounded by Devdutt Pattnaik, —insist that Gen Z must suffer too. Work harder, be more productive, marry young, and for the love of tradition, stop having fun.
These men see Gen Z’s work-life balance as a threat to the very foundation of capitalism. The more their grandkids embrace freedom, the angrier they get. Sanskari lives, not live-in relationships. No Netflix and chill—only 90-hour work weeks, all to make rich old men richer. While Yugas may change, these men remain stuck in time.
Working To Live, Not Living To Work
The shift in workplace culture is happening whether the wealthy elite likes it or not. Countries like Sweden and Denmark have embraced the four-day workweek with no drop in productivity. Studies from Microsoft Japan show that cutting work hours can actually increase efficiency.
Gen Z is simply asking for a life that isn’t defined by exhaustion, and somehow, that’s controversial. Maybe, just maybe, instead of shaming young workers for wanting a fair balance, we should be questioning a system that only rewards burnout.
The narrative that success only comes from relentless suffering is outdated, unsustainable, and frankly, ridiculous. Gen Z isn’t lazy—they’re just not buying into the lie that life is nothing but work. And as companies scramble to attract and retain young talent, they might want to rethink their approach.
Because if forcing 70-hour work weeks is the only way to keep capitalism running, then maybe capitalism itself needs an upgrade.
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: Times of India, Economic Times, Fortune
Find the blogger: Katyayani Joshi
This post is tagged under: Gen Z Work Culture, Hustle Culture, Work Life Balance, Capitalism, Burnout, Mental Health, Toxic Workplace, 70 Hour Work Week, Corporate Greed, Anti Hustle, Workplace Revolution, Gen Z vs Boomers, Employee well-being, Work Smarter Not Harder, Four Day Work Week
Disclaimer: We do not hold any right, copyright over any of the images used, these have been taken from Google. In case of credits or removal, the owner may kindly mail us.
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