India’s 43% Gen Z prefer full-time job with side hustle for stability: Survey

Bengaluru/ Hyderabad: A new survey has revealed that 43 percent of Gen Z prefer a full-time job with side work for stability and entrepreneurial freedom.

In its survey report ‘The Gen Z Workplace Blueprint’, Randstad India said that young professionals in the country are significantly rewriting workplace rules, with a clear preference for blended career paths over single, traditional full-time roles.

A Shift Away from Traditional Employment

The report's findings highlight a dramatic shift in career preference:

Only 16% of Gen Z in India prefer a single traditional full-time job.

A staggering 43% prefer a full-time job with a side hustle, which signifies a push for a balance between stability and entrepreneurial freedom.

Gen Z shows higher mobility than other generations, with 38% planning to stay in their current jobs for less than a year.

According to Viswanath PS, managing director and chief executive officer of Randstad India, Gen Z is "uncompromising about their expectations," seeing compensation and financial stability as a given, but expecting true engagement from flexibility, purpose, and opportunities to upskill.

Priorities and Retention Drivers

When evaluating job opportunities, the top priorities for Indian Gen Z are:

Pay (29%).

Flexibility in location (23%).

Flexible working hours (15%).

Factors for retaining this talent include better pay (37%), flexible hours (25%), and work-life balance (22%) are stronger motivators than traditional perks or extra leave. Other interesting retention factors include more travel opportunities (18%) and the ability to work remotely abroad (14%).

Early Exits and Career Mindset

The key reasons for Gen Z quitting within a year are primarily:

Low pay (50%).

Misaligned values

Poor workplace culture

Despite their short-term mobility, the report indicates a cautious optimism, as 94% consider long-term goals when evaluating opportunities. Additionally, 77% of Gen Z see their current role as a match for their dream job, significantly surpassing the global figure of 58%.

Attitude Towards AI and Learning

Gen Z exhibits both excitement and anxiety regarding Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the workplace:

82% 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 generations.

They prefer a practical, tech-led learning approach, with 52% actively learning through AI tools, complemented by on-the-job training and peer learning.

Milind Shah, Managing Director of Randstad Digital India, emphasized that this preference for a 'full-time job with a side work' is a clear signal to the technology industry, requiring roles that offer both cutting-edge technology exposure and the flexibility and continuous AI-led upskilling Gen Z demands.

The findings underline an urgent need for organizations to evolve talent strategies, workplace culture, and employee engagement models to keep pace with these changing expectations, focusing on embedding lifelong learning, inclusive cultures, and flexible policies.

Gen Z: The New Workforce

Gen Z refers to the cohort of individuals born between 1997 and 2007. As digital natives, this generation is characterized by a blend of ambition, pragmatism, and confidence, valuing not only financial security but also demanding autonomy, adaptability, and alignment with personal values in their careers. They are poised to become a growing share of India's workforce.