India Inc reinvents HR playbook to woo GenZ employees

Time of India

8 hours ago

Bengaluru: India Inc is undergoing a strategic shift in its HR approach, driven by the rising influence of Gen Z employees who expect more than just traditional perks. Digitally native and purpose-driven, Gen Z is compelling companies to rethink how they attract, engage, and retain talent.
At EY Global Delivery Services (EY GDS), internal surveys revealed Gen Z's strong preference for timely engagement, especially in the form of real-time feedback and recognition. This insight led to the launch of Extraordinary You, a platform that allows instant acknowledgment by peers and managers. "Recognition and rewards follow within 24 hours, and employees can share their wins instantly on social media. This takes recognition to a level that really resonates with Gen Z," said Sandeep Kohli, talent leader at EY GDS.
Realising that culture is shaped through consistent, everyday actions, companies like EY GDS and Experion Technologies are also investing in manager training. These leaders are equipped to understand Gen Z's traits, tech habits, and collaborative styles—enabling them to lead teams more effectively and guide HR interventions in a way that resonates with younger employees.
Workplace boundaries are also evolving.
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Ceat Tyres introduced silent hours from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. to encourage work-life balance and combat burnout. "This was introduced based on the feedback we got from the Gen Z workforce," said its CHRO Somraj Roy. Gen Z's demand for flexibility extends beyond remote work. According to Mansee Singhal, Career Business Leader India at global HR consulting firm Mercer, younger employees are now seeking more adaptive policies, such as elderly care leave, that align with their broader life responsibilities.
Well-being, especially financial, is another area companies are prioritising. At Accenture, a new personal finance app called Nudge aims to empower Gen Z employees to manage money better. "Whether it's daily expenses, saving for travel, or repaying student loans, Nudge offers clear, jargon-free advice and timely reminders," said Lakshmi C, senior managing director and CHRO at Accenture in India.
Beyond engagement, companies are helping Gen Z map meaningful careers.
Accenture's iAspire platform uses AI to give employees visibility into career paths. "This enables them to customise their learning, connect with relevant mentors, and expand their skill sets to better match their ambitions with available opportunities."
As Gen Z becomes a growing force in the workforce, companies are moving decisively—from reactive policies to intentional strategies that prioritise experience, empathy, and empowerment.
For this generation, workplaces need to be as agile, personalised, and values-driven as the lives they aspire to lead. At Tally Solutions, a focus on project diversity is employed to sustain engagement. "We have asked our associates to have one long-term goal that you're working on but at the same time you want to dabble with different projects in your related area.
What I'm talking about is that within the function you can have a multidisciplinary exposure," said Ashish C, head of HR at Tally Solutions.
Auto component major Continental revamped several aspects of its HR policy to align with the expectations of Gen Z employees. According to Ajay Kumar, HR head of Continental India, two initiatives made a significant impact. "One is constantly observing the industry pay standards and accordingly adjusting the merit increase to stay at the desired level of market benchmark. Another practice is rewards linked to the skill being possessed.
If an employee acquired superior skills (niche, rare and high demand skills) they are recognised for those relevant skills. Through this, employees are encouraged to pursue active skill upgradation, and the biggest feature of Gen Z is their learning agility," Kumar said.