The 5 New Workplace Cohorts Redefining the Indian Workforce

The report argues that businesses can no longer depend solely on population growth to drive consumption and expansion. Instead, organisations will increasingly need to focus on customer loyalty, deeper consumer engagement and unlocking spending from overlooked demographic groups.

A major theme of the report is its challenge to traditional generational labels such as Gen Z, Millennials and Gen Alpha. Ipsos stated that age bands and life stages often provide a more accurate understanding of people’s attitudes, needs and behaviour patterns than broad generational stereotypes.

The study identified two emerging economic groups that are expected to shape future markets. The first is the “Dormant Economy”, referring to older populations whose spending power and participation remain underutilised. The second is the “Endurance Economy”, which includes consumers who increasingly see milestones such as home ownership and retirement savings as financially unattainable.

Despite global concerns, India was described as relatively well-positioned because of its median age of 29 years, large consuming population and life expectancy of 73 years.

Ipsos India CEO Suresh Ramalingam said businesses now need to rethink traditional growth strategies as consumption patterns evolve globally. He noted that companies must assess whether their brands can remain relevant during economically challenging times and whether they can tap into under-engaged consumer groups.

For the first time, the report also introduced workplace segmentation based on employee behaviour, experiences and attitudes instead of purely age-based categories. Five distinct workplace cohorts were identified.

“The Optimists” group, consisting of people aged 16 to 25 years, reported high organisational pride but lower levels of belonging, alongside feelings of loneliness and boredom at work. The “Realists” cohort, aged 26 to 35 years, showed higher willingness to stay with employers and greater comfort with AI and digital tools.

The report found that employees aged 36 to 45 years, termed “The Squeezed Middle”, face the greatest pressure balancing professional and personal responsibilities. Many continue responding to emails beyond work hours and undertake unpaid overtime despite prioritising work-life balance.

Among employees aged 46 to 55 years, labelled “The Stable”, intent to remain with employers was the highest, although workplace strain also remained significant. Meanwhile, the “Selectively Positive” group aged 56 to 65 years reported concerns related to ageism, with nearly four in ten feeling disrespected by other age groups.

The report also examined the growing influence of artificial intelligence on economies and workplaces. While AI can improve productivity and lower production costs, Ipsos observed that technology alone cannot create consumer demand.

Darrell Bricker, chairman of Ipsos Canada and co-author of Empty Planet: The Shock of Global Population Decline, said declining birth rates are primarily being driven by urbanisation, capitalism and changing cultural patterns. He added that population decline is becoming visible across regions globally, with the only difference being the pace at which it is occurring.