'I won’t be working 5 or 4 days in office. PERIOD’: Indian expat slams London’s office grind

A London-based Indian professional is refusing to return to the office full-time, calling out what she sees as an outdated and financially draining corporate system. In a viral LinkedIn post, 25-year-old Taruna Vinaykiya made it clear she won’t spend her salary on London’s exorbitant commuting costs just to sit through virtual meetings.

"I won't be working 5 or 4 days in the office. PERIOD," she wrote, highlighting how stagnant wages and high living costs have made it nearly impossible for Gen Z professionals to get ahead. Despite holding a well-paying job, she admitted to barely making ends meet each month. "I'm 25, in a so-called ‘good’ career, living in London, and still clawing my way out of my bills every month. I'll probably never own a home. Climbing the corporate ladder? Not exactly a dream when the jobs at the top are held by people who won’t budge until they retire."

According to her LinkedIn profile, Vinaykiya is a Global Influencer Strategy Manager at the Lego Group. She holds an MA in Marketing from Durham University and a BBA from Stella Maris College.

Vinaykiya took aim at the generational divide in workplace benefits. While older professionals enjoyed perks like reimbursed travel, business trips, stock options, and real networking opportunities, she argued that today’s workers are left with little more than occasional office pizza. "So, remind me again why I should happily spend a chunk of my already-taxed-to-death salary on the world’s most expensive transport system just to sit in an office and dial into online calls?"

Rather than waiting for change, Vinaykiya decided to take control of her career by transitioning to freelancing. "Luckily, I pivoted into freelancing, and while it’s still early days, it’s the first time I’ve felt like I have real control over my work. Maybe that’s the future, not chasing promotions in a system that doesn’t work for us, but building careers on our own terms."

Her words struck a chord, with many professionals echoing her concerns. "What an amazing way to put this," one commenter wrote, arguing that Gen Z isn’t throwing tantrums—they’re simply reacting to broken systems. Another user added, "I completely agree, except I’m a millennial and I never got those perks either!"

Some acknowledged the value of office interactions but agreed with her core point. "There are days when you're in back-to-back calls, and commuting to the office just for the sake of it doesn’t make sense," one user said.