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Gen Z Employee’s Overtime Refusal Fuels Critique of Overwork Culture

It has prompted widespread social media praise by framing prolonged work hours as exploitation rather than dedication

Overview

  • Shatakshi Pandey posted the video three days ago after declining her reporting manager’s request for overtime, emphasizing her right to leave on time
  • In the clip she challenges the glorification of relentless struggle and argues that personal time and mental well-being should be prioritized
  • Her manager defended his own long hours—arriving at 7:30 AM and staying until 6:30 PM—before reluctantly allowing her to go home
  • The post has attracted nearly three million views and strong support from younger professionals demanding more humane workplace norms
  • Commenters across platforms have widely labeled excessive overtime as exploitation, highlighting a generational shift in attitudes toward work–life balance