2 CEOs vs 2 GEN Zs | The Bridge S1E1: Is hustle culture killing India's next generation?

The BarberShop with Shantanu

Is hustle culture quietly killing India’s next generation?

Is Gen Z actually giving up at their jobs for reasons evident but often unsaid?

Where really is this gap and why is it important to fill it?

Next season of the Barbershop is not a season, it’s a completely different story.

A whole new setup, a mix of old and new voices, unfiltered views, and debates that often make it out of these leaders’ LinkedIn's, onto the news! 😂

Only this time, we don’t have a 1:1 setup, we have a round table.

Joining Shantanu are Vidit Dugar (Chief of Staff at Bombay Shaving Company) and Gauri Bansal (Product and Strategy at Spotify), on the one side. Ambitious. Sharp. Super switched on. They represent India’s blue-eyed Gen Z at workplaces.

Sitting on the other side are Radhika Gupta (MD & CEO, Edelweiss Mutual Fund) and Damodar Mall (CEO, Reliance Retail). Two veterans who made it to their CXO roles in their early thirties, all with patience, clarity, and grit.

This is not a podcast, it’s a debate. Someone’s got to start it!

Where aspirational Gen Zs meet inspirational leaders.

Tune in for a brutally honest conversation on:

- Are Gen Z an employer's nightmare?

- The 9-to-5 job was made for people who worked in factories. So why are we still working like that?

- Why does every Gen Z worker feel like they are underpaid?

- Why comparison is the key recipe for unhappiness.

So, on this note, dear Gen Zs, this is for you. YOU are the hero of this show.

Here it is. The wait is over. This platform is now officially yours.

Talk to us, drop a comment and tell us if you’d like to be a part of the next bridge debate. 🙌🏻

Navigate your way through:

00:00 Coming up

0:55 What is ‘The Bridge’?

2:03 Hustle culture through Gen Z’s lens

5:23 Senior leaders on generational clashes and hustle culture

9:57 The truth about time and work quality

14:40 Gen Z on no fixed hours and transforming digital life

17:22 Women and hustle culture

20:14 Generations on grind: accountability, rewards, hard work, and purpose

24:08 Hustle culture and mental health struggles

27:02 Backstage performers vs. Frontstage seekers

30:41 Closing Thoughts