Most Gen Z workers unhappy with salary, 3 in 5 would switch jobs for better pay. Here’s what report reveals | Company Business News

More than half of Gen Z employees across Delhi NCR are unhappy with their salary, mainly due to the higher cost of living, a new study has found.

According to a report by global HR and payroll platform Deel, salary dissatisfaction is highest in metro cities. Delhi-NCR is leading with 55 per cent of Gen Z workers unhappy with their pay, followed by Mumbai at 48 per cent and Chennai at 38 per cent.

Growing financial strain is a major contributor to the dissatisfaction with salary, the report said.

The top reasons attributed to the dissatisfaction include lack of inflation-adjusted pay hikes (21 per cent), below-market compensation (19 per cent), salaries insufficient to cover needs beyond basic expenses (14 per cent) and poor salary growth (13 per cent).

3 in 5 Gen Z workers would switch jobs for better pay

Nearly three out of 5, or 69 per cent, Gen Z employees are ready to switch jobs, while 51 per cent would accept a fully remote job with a global company if they get a better salary, the study further found.

This trend is particularly high in urban hubs with tech-savvy youth population like Bengaluru (71 per cent), Mumbai (67 per cent) and Chennai (65 per cent).

Many Gen Z workers cite a lack of pay parity and stagnant salary growth as reasons for feeling undervalued. Inflation and rising cost of living are other major concerns.

The study, conducted between April and May 2025, surveyed 2,508 full-time, white-collar Gen Z professionals (ages 20-28, with 0-3 years of work experience) across seven Indian cities and 10 sectors.

Increasing gap in perks between generations

Dissatisfaction does not just include salary, according to the study. The report found that as much as 61 per cent Gen Z employees feel that older colleagues are given preferential access to career development opportunities and workplace benefits.

Promotions and leadership opportunities, training and development access, and workplace flexibility and perks are among the factors that are contributing to the growing unhappiness.

“This perception contributes to a growing sense of inequity and dissatisfaction, as younger employees feel overlooked despite their skills and willingness to adapt. Many interpret this gap as a lack of investment in their long-term growth, which can affect engagement and retention,” the report said.