Shark Tank India judge Anupam Mittal on why Gen Z values work-life balance over salary

Shaadi.com founder and Shark Tank India judge Anupam Mittal has now weighed in on the new data showing that half of Gen Z workers rank work-life balance above salary. In a long LinkedIn post, Mittal noted that while older generations may dismiss this as “kids these days,” the numbers reflect deeper workplace realities.

Along with this, Mittal also pointed out that the demand for work-life balance peaks at 60% in professionals with 5 to 8 years of experience these are the ones that fall in the age group of 26 to 30. These mid-career employees, he said, have already endured multiple company reorganisations, witnessed layoffs within their networks, and seen career paths stall. For them, work-life balance becomes less a generational preference and more a response to workplace conditions.Mittal also argued that the trend is not necessarily a generational shift but a verdict on how workplaces are structured. Companies often design attractive career arcs for fresh graduates or lucrative packages for senior professionals, while the middle tier is overlooked. “No clear next role. No upside. No story,” he wrote. In such cases, work-life balance becomes the consolation prize for mid-level employees who feel stuck.

Read Anupam Mittal’s complete LinkedIn post here

50% of Gen Z rank work-life balance above salary.Thats what a recent Gen Z work report claims. Another round of 'kids these days' from boomers on the way 😅 But there is another data point that stood out for me.The WLB demand peaks at 60% with 5-8 years of experience. Not fresh graduates or who made it ‘upstairs’.The mid-career ones! Think about who that is. The 26 to 30 year old.Already seen 3 reorgs in the company,2 layoffs in a WhatsApp networking group, and a career path that's slowed down 🤷🏻‍♂️ Yeh shayad generational shift nahi hai. This could be a verdict on workplaces. Many built shiny career arcs for 22 year olds. Or fat packages for the 35 plus crowd. The middle often got forgotten. No clear next role. No upside. No story. So WLB, for many, becomes the consolation prize.