Gen Z employee works alone till 1 am in office, pushes back on 'lazy' stereotype

A Gen Z employee said he was alone in the office at 1 am during his notice period while finishing month-end work. His viral post prompted wider discussion about overwork, weak support systems and whether dedication is taken for granted.

In Short

• He said month-end closings kept him back without overtime during notice period
• The worker claimed he alone handled critical tasks on the floor
• He called it keyman risk, with no backup despite repeated concerns

An employee shared how he found himself working alone in an empty office at 1 AM during his notice period, pushing back against the stereotype that “Gen Z doesn’t work.”

In a now-viral post on r/IndianWorkplace titled “GenZ doesn't work it's 1AM and I'm still in office. The entire floor is empty,” the user detailed how month-end responsibilities left him with no choice but to stay back long after hours, despite receiving no overtime compensation.

“I had some month-end closings to tend to. I'm the only one who can do that work on the floor,” he wrote, pointing out how being the sole person handling critical tasks had backfired. Reflecting on the situation, he added, “Never become too important at work, lesson learnt,” emphasising how his role had become irreplaceable without adequate support.

The employee explained that even during his notice period, he was expected to wrap up everything independently, with no one stepping in to share the workload. “No overtime allowance because ‘we didn't ask you to work late’ but who gave me the volumes, huh?” he questioned, calling out what he saw as a lack of accountability from management.

Despite the frustration, he admitted that he genuinely enjoyed his work, which is why he had continued putting in the effort. However, that came with its own realisation: “Never fall in love with your work, lesson learnt again.” He also pointed out that while his skills were clearly valued externally, having caught the attention of recruiters, they seemed underappreciated within his current organisation.

He went on to describe what he called a “keyman risk” situation, where even senior colleagues acknowledged that too much responsibility rested on him alone, yet no proper backup plan was ever implemented. “They’re going to replace me with an outsider and get them to clean this mess,” he wrote, expressing scepticism about how the transition would unfold.

The post also touched on the pressure of documenting his entire workflow before leaving, with the employee saying the company now expected him to “puke out my learnings on a set of Excels and Word documents, detailed end to end,” even as his supposed replacements underestimated the complexity of the role.

Amid the criticism, he acknowledged the role of a mentor who had helped him early in his career, crediting them for shaping his skills and work ethic. He recalled the mentor advising him to finish his responsibilities without taking excessive stress, reminding him that he had done his part by flagging the issues.

Take a look at the post here:

Online, the post struck a chord with several professionals who related to the experience of being overburdened and undervalued. Several users shared similar stories of toxic work environments, lack of mentorship, and unrealistic expectations, especially in smaller or poorly managed companies.

Others pointed out that being too dependable at work often led to exploitation rather than recognition, echoing the poster’s “keyman risk” observation.

At the same time, some commenters tried to offer reassurance, suggesting that strong skills and dedication would eventually lead to better opportunities and roles with more balance.

A few also reflected on their own decisions to leave jobs where support systems were lacking, noting that burnout often becomes inevitable in such setups.

- Ends