New Delhi. Taruna Vinayakia, a 25-year-old Indian professional living in London, has recently refused to work five days a week in the office. She cited the highly expensive commuting costs in London as the main reason for this. In her LinkedIn post, she expressed concern about the return-to-office orders and rising living costs being imposed on Gen Z professionals. Taruna clearly wrote, “I will not work 5 or 4 days in the office. That’s it.”
Taruna also mentioned in her post that she is struggling to pay her bills every month despite her good salary in London. She told that she has no control over her finances due to the high cost of living and the situation has become frustrating. She also said that despite living in an expensive city like London, she will probably never be able to buy a house for herself. Taruna also expressed her frustrations about careers and pointed out that top positions are often occupied by people who have no intention of retiring, leaving limited opportunities for advancement for younger employees. She also alleged that Gen Z employees are facing pay and benefit disparities compared to their retiring peers.
Commuting expenses questioned
Taruna also questioned in her post why she should spend a large part of her already tax-free salary on the world’s most expensive transportation system, only to sit in an office and make online calls. She said, “Gen X and Boomers used to get free lunches, bonuses and stock options throughout their careers, but now all we have is a lukewarm pizza and a beer after work.”
Take the path to freelancing
Due to growing frustration with her career, Taruna turned to freelancing. She said that freelancing has given her real control over her work and it has become a new and better path for her. She saw this change in a positive light and said, “Maybe this is the future, not chasing promotions in a system that doesn’t work for us, but building our own careers.”
Support and criticism on social media
Taruna’s post garnered a lot of attention on social media and many people supported her sentiment. One user said, “This is brilliantly said. I understand what people call Gen Z tantrums, but these tantrums are actually their consequences.” Another wrote, “I agree with everything you said, except that I’m a millennial, and I’ve never experienced these perks.”
Colleagues supports
Some other users also supported Taruna’s thought and said that there are days when going to office just doesn’t make sense for work, especially when you’re just bogged down with calls. One said, “When we go to office, relationships and teamwork are built, but with the rising cost of living, coming to office doesn’t seem wise in such a situation.”
Taruna’s Profile
Taruna Vinayakia, who is currently working as Global Influencer Strategy Manager at the LEGO Group, holds an MA in Marketing from Durham University and a BBA from Stella Maris College. Her move reflects that finding a work-life balance is becoming a challenging affair for Gen Z.
