Gen Z professionals in Southeast Asia demand more flexibility

Young professionals in Southeast Asia are increasingly expecting more flexibility in the workplace as traditional norms driven by hustle culture face scrutiny.

Accountant and Intuit QuickBooks ProAdvisor Lily Yong has highlighted how this generational shift is changing the way both employees and organisations view work-life balance. Yong points to a new attitude among Gen Z workers, who are prioritising wellbeing and redefining the expectations of professional life that have dominated many Southeast Asian corporate settings.

Changing expectations

Yong described the move away from the old approach of overworking and visible effort for its own sake. She said, "Work-life balance is no longer a 'nice to have' but a necessity to keep our talents and sustain businesses. As more young professionals enter the workforce, companies that don't adapt to this change will find it challenging to attract new talent and risk losing their best employees."

The shift is clear among young employees, who Yong says are increasingly setting personal boundaries to protect their time outside work. According to her, "Gen Zs in the workforce are now far more vocal about setting boundaries when it comes to their work-life balance, settling for flexibility and purpose-driven work."

She adds, "Young professionals are more likely to challenge outdated norms and are unafraid to change jobs if their requests are not met."

Yong also contrasts this with the older workforce, stating, "Millennials, on the other hand, having grown up in a more hustle-centric era, are slowly learning to adapt similar attitudes but with more caution. Older generations oftentimes carry more guilt and are afraid to set these boundaries, but are learning to find the balance."

Persistent hustle culture

The drive to always be available is rooted in longstanding expectations around work. Yong describes, "There's been an unspoken expectation to be constantly 'on demand' and available."

"Whether it's answering calls, messages, and emails after work hours, working through the weekends, or equating long hours with hard work in the name of meeting deadlines."

She said the rise of remote work has also contributed to the sense that employees should always be reachable. "In modern workplaces, especially in remote working, the 'on-demand' culture now compensates for the lack of physical presence in the office."

Underlying cultural values

Yong explains that hustle culture is influenced by deeply held beliefs within Southeast Asian societies. She said, "Culturally, many Southeast Asians are raised with strong values and beliefs such as hard work and self-sacrifice for career and financial success. In our culture, hard work is measured by long work hours instead of productivity and effectiveness."

This is especially true in sectors requiring long hours and high output. Yong says this is "even more evident in sectors like finance and technology, where corporate environments are often fast-paced and demand high performance from their employees."

Addressing wellbeing

Yong warns that ignoring the importance of balance can have significant negative effects. "Allowing the hustle culture to take control over your work life can result in burnout, chronic fatigue, and anxiety. Not only that, but it can also impact and strain relationships, causing emotional exhaustion," says Yong.

Setting boundaries does not require dramatic steps. Yong encourages professionals to "start small by taking time off to rest, scheduling breaks throughout the work day, asking for flexibility or workload adjustments when needed, to learning how to say 'no' to outside work hours and unreasonable timelines." She points out that "professionals who manage their work-life balance well tend to be more productive, creative, and resilient."

Shift in management approach

Yong recommends that leadership evaluate how success is measured in the workplace. "Employees and leaders within organisations are responsible for setting policies and walking the talk. Focus on rewarding productivity and results, instead of attendance or hours worked," she explains.

She adds, "In fact, the process starts from negotiating achievable results and timeline with customers and stakeholders without compromising people and internal resources in delivery."

There are signs that businesses are taking action to retain employees. "In an effort to retain talent, we are seeing more organisations offer support for their employees, such as mental health resources and encouraging time off," says Yong.