Artha School of Entrepreneurship

In November 2024, a senior lawyer's social media post criticizing her junior associate ignited a fierce debate about generational differences in the workplace. The controversy began when Ayushi Doshi, an advocate, shared a screenshot of a WhatsApp message she had received from her junior, who was a Gen Z. The junior informed her that he would be logging in late the next day after working late the previous evening. Ayushi, surprised and frustrated, responded with a post that read:

"I can't believe my junior sent me this. Today's kids are something else. He stayed late, so now he's going to show up late to the office to 'make up' for it."

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗚𝗲𝗻 𝗭 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁?

According to Deloitte’s 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey, 50% Gen Z have ‘rejected an assignment or project based on their personal beliefs.’ Work/life balance is the top consideration when Gen Zs are choosing an employer.

Gen Z prefers direct, clear communication—whether through digital tools or face-to-face. They value transparency and dislike micromanagement. This generation tends to prioritize flexibility, mental health, and work-life balance, which might seem like a shift from older generations’ “work harder, longer” ethos. Growing up with tech, Gen Z is quick to adopt new tools and processes.They care deeply about ethics, sustainability, and social justice. A company’s values matter to them, and they want to work for businesses that align with their beliefs. However, their rigid stance and refusal to contribute a few extra hours during an important project might reflect a lack of commitment to others. Holding their values as more important than the values of others might also display a lack of empathy.

Understanding their unique approach can help in navigating the generational gap within the workforce better and creating a smoother working environment. But the effort has to be both ways.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗹𝗲 𝗚𝗲𝗻 𝗭? 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝘀𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀:

Embrace Flexibility: Offer flexible work schedules or remote work options but also make it clear from the beginning that sometimes, it is inevitable to put in a few extra hours to close an important deal/project.

Encourage Open Dialogue: Create space for honest conversations. Open dialogues can help all generations within an organisation to collaborate and understand each other’s POV.

Two way mutual mentoring: the older can teach the younger and vice versa. This can help create meaningful relationships while providing a level playing field.

Addressing communication divides: preferred form of communication can be different for different age groups, some might prefer emails, others simply send a WhatsApp text. Generational dialects can be a hurdle in effective team building and collaboration. Therefore, encouraging clarifications and calling out each other politely when needed should be encouraged.

“We were hiring for a general accounting position at my employer. Nothing too unusual and we had identified our candidate and I extended the verbal offer to him. The offers are all contingent upon the candidate passing the background check. So he filled out the forms and I got his report back. But the report seemed really vague and light on details. It was like “applicant worked for XYZ Company from such date to such date”. The dates didn’t match up to the dates he had on his resume. It also said he was terminated no details available. This guy had told me he resigned. So I did some checking on my own. I just called XYZ Company to see what their records showed. It turned out that someone I used to work with actually worked there at XYZ Company. It turned out to be a much bigger story. This guy we planned to hire was actually fired for theft. Apparently while he was working there, he’d developed a habit of helping himself to cash from co-workers wallets and purses.”
—excerpt from a Quora post by Leah Roth, Corporate Recruitment and Human Resources Professional

Reference checks are often considered a simple part of a hiring checklist but it’s critical to do it right to get the most value from it rather than just getting it done.

Let’s take the following case as an example: a role might require the candidate to work with difficult and tenured employees which needs resourcefulness and good interpersonal skills. A quick check-in with the previous manager might reveal that the candidate is excellent, except that they lack interpersonal skills. Now, this might not automatically lead to a rejection from your end, but it will help you set your expectations right as well.

A simple checklist process with an outsourced agency with a series of questions ranked on a scale of 1 to 10 rating does not leave room for such nuance. Such reference checks might even be counterproductive or lead to a wrong hire.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱:-

𝗘𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻: Fake references are not unheard of. And hence it is critical to check the identity of the referred person.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻: The referee and candidate need to have worked closely enough for the referee to have any significant knowledge about the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses.

𝗪𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗶𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀: Often, personal and cultural bias may result in polarized feedback. A referee might exaggerate good qualities or omit information.

It is critical to ask the right questions in a way that is connected to the job role and skill requirements. In that way, references become an important aid for hiring decision making at senior levels instead of being just a checklist to complete.

Of late there is a lot of talk around 70-90 hours weekdays. This is a layered topic and there are no black and white answers. Not all employees have a similar approach to work. Let us explain with a few examples:

Persona 1: Fewer hours but deep work

You work in segments. Few hours of deep work, a break and then you wrap up for the day. Work does not define your entire existence, but you are a serious worker.

Persona 2: Doesn’t rest till there is a solution

You believe in burning the midnight oil till you find the solution. You are solution-oriented. You cannot rest until there’s a solution. There is no off switch, work is an extension of who you are.

Persona 3: Work-play mode

Low on hours and low on productivity. You might not be the most diligent when it comes to deadlines or taking responsibility.

Persona 4: Imagine Sisyphus happy

You toil and toil, but progress is slow. It’s like Sisyphus rolling the boulder up the hill. But you are happy, and that works for you. As Albert Camus said, “One must imagine Sisyphus happy.”

–

Working hours should always be a personal choice. Different employees have different working styles. A work style refers to the unique set of behaviours and attitudes you bring to your tasks and workplace interactions. It influences how you adapt to your surroundings, tackle challenges, and navigate colleagues. Different personality types tend to perform best in particular work settings. You might be more logical, while your colleague would be more detail-oriented. A quick personality test can reveal which working style you fit. In an organisation, collaboration with multiple working styles can help it thrive, instead of imposing something like long working hours on everyone.

For instance, extended working hours may not necessarily correlate with increased productivity for everyone. Spending excessive time at your desk can negatively impact motivation, creativity, focus, and workplace culture.

Adding significant value to your work doesn't always stem from the amount of time you dedicate. Some workers thrive while prioritizing quality over quantity. Overworking not only undermines performance but also poses risks to physical, mental, and emotional health. While there may be situations where extra effort and longer hours are necessary—such as during high-stakes projects—this should remain an exception rather than the norm.

The true measure of value lies not in the hours spent working but in the knowledge, insights, and ex*****on that drive results. Both employees and entrepreneurs can create meaningful contributions and collaboration by focusing on efficiency, smart strategies, and leveraging tools such as generative AI or process automation. Distinguishing between hard work, smart work, and overwork is critical. Striking a balance—whether in work-life integration or the approach to work itself—will differ from person to person, but finding this equilibrium is key to sustained success.

𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻 𝗛𝗥 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀

Business growth is the outcome of a sharp interplay between strategy and ex*****on. Going deeper, people strategy and ex*****on play a significant role in consistent outcomes. Many times, a mismatch between the business objectives and the people strategy leads to suboptimal outcomes. When HR initiatives around recruitment, employee engagement, and performance management, work in alignment with the priorities of the organization, they directly contribute to achieving the company goals.

However, in case of a misalignment between HR strategy and company goals, the same strategy which is designed to ensure growth and success, becomes a massive barrier. For instance, if the HR strategy of an organization is focused on immediate hiring but that does not go well with the business’s long-term objective of ensuring diversity in the workforce, then this can create a homogenous workforce that may lack creativity, varied perspectives, and a problem-solving mindset; factors critical for driving a company’s growth in today’s highly competitive environment.

𝗦𝗼, 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗛𝗥 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀? 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄:

𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 – You must start with getting clarity around the company’s vision and mission so that all the HR initiatives can be seamlessly aligned with them.

𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀-𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗸𝗲𝘆 – An effective strategy requires the HR department to collaborate with finance, leadership, marketing, and other departments to identify key objectives and potential obstacles, and then create a recipe for success.

𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝘄𝗶𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝗻 – The hiring strategy should also reflect the priority of the business. For instance, if innovation is the goal, then the HR department should hire individuals equipped with a creative mindset and problem-solving abilities.

𝗘𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗸𝗲𝘆 – Business goals continue to evolve with the changes in the market dynamics and so should the HR strategies and policies. HR needs to stay agile and adaptable in its approach depending on business needs and industry trends, and revising the policies accordingly.

𝗠𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 – The key is to use data to measure the effectiveness of your HR strategies. You need to regularly measure the retention rates, engagement levels, and other factors involved. If there are no desired outcomes, then refine your approach.

𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿: HR’s role extends beyond hiring; it is also responsible for nurturing and refining the talent to ensure that the talent stays invested in achieving the company’s goals.

Happy New Year from Artha. Looking forward to a successful 2025.

𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱

Hiring the wrong people is the fastest way to undermine a sustainable business. — Kevin J. Donaldson, Entrepreneur, Author, and Business Coach

For startups, the business idea is obviously one of the most important pillars. Among the other important ones, the leaders leading the organisation is equally important. Leaders provide vision, motivation and direction and the right ones foster a conducive, collaborative environment and improves the performance of the whole team!

So, what can you do to ensure that you hire the right people?

Here are a few suggestions from Artha:

1. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝗴!
When during an interview, an individual does not have any smart questions to ask about your startup and does not display any genuine curiosity then that person is probably not the right fit. With an ideal candidate the interview feels like an insightful conversation.

2. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 “𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱” 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 “𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴” 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀
Leaders who have already scaled before will probably be very articulate and be engaging and insightful. However, you need to evaluate very carefully if they are a right fit for a startup environment that needs building right from scratch. One interview or meeting is simply not enough to help you gauge this. Besides informal reference checks keep an eye out for little red flags; take your time to evaluate.

3. 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺, 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺, 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗽𝗶𝘁𝘆!
Sometimes you come across the right people when you are NOT looking for them - it's serendipity. Even if you don’t have a role for them but you know they can contribute meaningfully to your startup you can always create one.
Go out, meet people, attend conferences and always be on the lookout for the right kind of people.

Check out this article on our website for more detailed insights: https://lnkd.in/ghJMYawd



PS: Image from internet.