New Delhi: A LinkedIn post by Nishant Joshi has sparked debate across India’s startup ecosystem, bringing renewed attention to concerns around Gen Z employees, workplace expectations, and the hustle culture.
In the post, Joshi, a content strategist and B2B tech writer, recounts an incident involving his younger cousin, an employee at an early-stage startup in Gurgaon. The man was pulled into a glass cabin and told he needs to develop a “founder’s mindset,” to treat the company “like it is your own baby”. In the 20-minute lecture, he was told to take extreme ownership.
The employee, however, had a fitting response.
“I will treat this company like my baby the day you give me a 50 per cent share in the equity. Right now, I am just the babysitter, and my shift ends at 7 PM.”
The idea of a “founder’s mindset” is often presented as aspirational. But in practice, as Joshi’s post argues, it often becomes a convenient way to demand more work without offering a proportionate share in either risk or reward.
“The founder’s mindset is the biggest manipulation tactic in the Indian startup world,” the post states. It adds that companies expect “the anxiety and the sleepless nights of a CEO” while offering “a Rs 35,000 fresher salary.”
The discussion extends beyond pay, focusing on how responsibility and rewards are distributed within startups.
In the comments, a copywriter wrote, “There is a difference between ‘hustle’ and ‘productivity’—companies need to understand that.” The comment adds that if companies expect “founder’s hours,” they should either compensate employees accordingly or offer equity such as ESOPs.
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The never-ending debate
A founder associated with Sampoorna Hiring Solutions offered a contrasting view, stating that entrepreneurship involves both profits and losses. The comment highlights that ownership includes financial risk as well as potential rewards.
This is precisely where the Gen Z conversation enters, and why posts like these are gaining traction.
Across social media and workplaces, younger employees are being simultaneously criticised and analysed for what is often described as a refusal to “go the extra mile.” The problem, as the critics point out, is that they are too nonchalant about work and their responsibilities.
However, supporters argue that this reflects a shift away from workplace cultures that normalise burnout.
One user pointed out how many so-called “young and cool” startups blur the line between ambition and exploitation, often framing basic boundaries as a lack of seriousness.
Early-career professionals, they argued, are frequently drawn in with big promises that they’ll “be a part of it” when the company succeeds. In lieu of such promises, they are then expected to handle intense workloads and stress on salaries that barely sustain them.
While the early years of a career are undeniably a time to learn and grow, the commenter stressed that there is a thin line between genuine hustle and something far more unhealthy, one that, they said, many founders tend to ignore: “there’s a fine line between healthy hustle and toxic manipulation.”
(Edited by Saptak Datta)