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In a sit-down interview with The Grade Cricketer a few years ago, Harsha Bhogle shared how only a couple of generations ago, people sought “secure” jobs and stuck to them for the rest of their lives, as survival was of paramount importance to them. It was only during his generation, he believed, that things got slightly better as people began exploring the opportunities outside of their comfort zone and the tall boundaries they had created. However, in this modern era, Indians have become “a little brazen, a little more aggressive”, he said, because they no longer wish to hold back and opt for safety. “Earlier, when we learned to play cricket, batting was about not getting out,” the voice of cricket said as he highlighted how the economy of India played a key role in this. “Your salary was all you had, we were very saving, survival-driven society. So you hit the ball in the air, it’s another way of getting out,” he said before adding, “Batting for us was not getting out, not scoring runs.” “The new generation says, ‘Yeah I will get out. But I don’t get out, I’ll win.'” The cricket commentator further added that the Rishabh Pants of the world looked at possibilities instead of worrying about the outcome. The GenZs are following the same mantra, or that is what the growing number of stories about toxic bosses, leave denial, and workplace burnout keep popping up on social media suggest. The workforce today is actively working towards maintaining a work-life balance by speaking up against “toxic” bosses and attempting to create healthy boundaries to keep their sanity on track. Toxic Bosses The lack of empathy and humanity exhibited by bosses in Indian workplaces is not unheard of. In a Reddit post made earlier this month, an ailing employee’s interaction with their manager ignited the topic of increasing manipulation and lack of compassion in corporate culture. “I am unable to sit or stand for a long time… please provide me medical leave for today.” Upon not receiving any response, he subsequently stated that his condition was still “not manageable”. He was met with ridicule. “Who taught you discipline?” the superior asked, casting doubt on his discipline. “Look at the time when you are asking for leave. It will be a loss of pay for both days,” the manager said. The employee went on to apologise. “Please understand my situation, sir, I am asking for medical reasons… I am sorry for not informing you about my inability to come to the office because of my health ailments.” But his medical reasons fell on deaf ears. “Who will do your business? The more you run away from your responsibility and commitment, the more problems. You didn’t stand by your commitment as far as the first 10 days are concerned,” the manager responded. What should I do with this kind of Manager byu/nanukannadiga inIndianWorkplace Also Read: ‘Who Tought You Descipline?’ Bengaluru Banker Asks Boss For Sick Leave, Gets Lecture On Work Ethics In ‘Poor English’ In another post about leave denial, a Redditor claimed her manager refused to approve marriage leave despite having it approved by HR. “He is now saying that he will only grant three marriage days and five vacation days because it is against the guidelines. When I inquired with HR, they clearly said that I could take 11 days in a row if I have the leave balance and my manager approves,” she stated, sharing she needed 11 leaves and had a leave balance of 28 days. The Fightback A viral WhatsApp purportedly between an employee and his manager recently went viral on X. In it, the employee mentioned that he would be unable to show up for work as he was down with a fever. In response, the senior employee said, “Let’s go to the doctor.” Annoyed by the condescending tone in the rude responses he received, the junior employee firmly responded by saying that he was not a school student who was required to present a doctor’s note along with his parents’ signatures for leave. Only Gen Z can Fix the toxic Indian Work Culture pic.twitter.com/0XJX9elnGn — Oxygen ? (@WhateverVishal) October 29, 2025 ‘Sassy’ Response To Rejection Mitul Bid, founder and CEO of tech company Coditas, shared a screenshot of a response he received from a Gen Z candidate who was not selected for a role. Bid, amused, posted the message on LinkedIn, captioning it: “GenZ, you keep on teaching me!” “Totally respect your decision, but just wanted to say– Cool, you’ve decided to ‘Move forward other candidates.” — but let’s be honest, you didn’t even clock what I’m really capable of. You barely knew my skill set, my drive, or what I bring to the game.” “But no worries — bigger doors are opening, and trust me, I’ll crack a major opportunity with your company that actually knows how to spot real talent. I believe in myself. I’m gonna build something big. I’m not here to beg for chances — I create them. And mark my words, one day I’ll be sitting at the top while folks like you get shown the door,” the email added. “You didn’t reject me. You rejected the damn upgrade. I don’t chase opportunities — I create them. I don’t wait for offers — I become the offer.” Leaves After Breakup “Got the most honest leave application yesterday. Gen Z doesn’t do filters!” wrote the CEO of Knot Dating as he attached an email from his employee informing him about their need for leave to recover from their breakup. The post, shared on X, has been viewed by 14 million users. “Hello Sir, I recently had a breakup and haven’t been able to focus on work, I need a short break. I’m working from home today, so I’d like to take leave from 28th to the 8th,” the email read.
