Gen Z workers are increasingly walking away from banking jobs in pursuit of entrepreneurial opportunities or more flexible working, a new survey of senior bosses has found.

Most financial firms are taking action in a bid to hold onto their younger members of staff.

Nearly half of financial services leaders report an increase in Gen Z employees leaving their organisation over the past year, according to polling by KPMG.

This rises to 54% of those within the banking sector who noticed an upsurge.

Gen Z – typically referring to people born between 1997 and 2012 – are often seeking out more entrepreneurial-style work in their decision to leave finance jobs, the survey found.

The biggest reason cited by the finance bosses was a preference for working in start-ups, at 42%.

While 35% said they were leaving because of a desire for self-employment or freelance careers.

Some 34% said Gen Z workers were choosing to leave because they want more flexibility or remote working, while the same proportion cited cost-of-living concerns as the driver.

The poll, which was to around 150 people at director level or above in financial services companies, found that around a quarter of younger employees are estimated to have left finance businesses in the past year.

Almost all of the business leaders surveyed, at 96%, said they were taking active steps to try and improve Gen Z retention at their firm.

More than half said they were working on introducing flexible working policies such as term-time contracts or flexible hours in a bid to appeal to younger workers.

Others said they were revising their office attendance policies as a result.

Karim Haji, global and UK head of financial services at KPMG, said: “Gen Z employees are clearly signalling a desire for more autonomy, variety and entrepreneurial experiences.

“The challenge for financial services firms now is how to create an entrepreneurial experience for a social media generation in a heavily regulated environment.

“Office presenteeism gets a lot of airtime, but the reality is that most financial services firms have made strides in offering flexibility that goes far beyond remote working, whether that’s staggered hours, flexible contracts or better wellbeing support.

“That’s to be applauded, but alongside that, firms must keep pace with the changing values and expectations of young talent.”

NEW DELHI: The ongoing trade negotiations between the EU and India, and New Delhi’s openness to deepening economic partnerships, reinforce confidence that there is significant scope for long-term cooperation, a top European Investment Bank (EIB) official has said but called for accelerating approvals and providing a level-playing field for global investors.“Despite the current geopolitical uncertainties in South Asia, India stands out as a country of remarkable resilience and opportunity,” Nicola Beer, vice president of the European Investment Bank (EIB) told TOI during her visit to India, during which she unveiled a string of investments from upgrading water infrastructure in Uttarakhand to metro projects in Nagpur and Pune to strengthening participation in the India Transition Fund. “For EIB, which has committed over 5.6 billion euro to India in last 20 years with more than 90% dedicated to climate action, this means India remains a highly attractive destination for investment, particularly in sectors that align with both India’s and Europe’s priorities,” said Beer. EIB is one of the world’s largest multilateral banks.She said sustainable transport is leading EIB investment in India and EIB has signed 3.6 billion euro in loans for metro projects in the country, making India the largest recipient of EIB urban mobility financing outside the EU, with metro projects in cities like Agra, Bengaluru, Pune, Nagpur, Lucknow, Bhopal and Kanpur.“Energy transition is another key area, especially renewables, energy efficiency, and grid infrastructure,” Beer said when asked about the priority sector for EIB. “These sectors not only address India’s development needs but also create opportunities for technology and investment flows between India and the EU,” said Beer.She cited the $60 million commitment to the India Energy Transition Fund, managed by EAAA Alternatives, as an example of engaging with the private sector.Beer said this fund is designed to channel equity and “last mile” financing into greenfield infrastructure and growth-stage companies, accelerating projects in renewables, energy efficiency and clean mobility.“The fund is expected to mobilise significant additional private capital, including from leading European institutional investors, and to foster innovation in areas like battery storage and circular economy.” She said while the opportunities are significant, there are still some barriers to greater European investment in India.

New Delhi: The festive spirit roared through India’s automobile market this Dhanteras, as automakers clocked record-breaking deliveries, crossing the 100,000 mark within just 24 hours, according to industry sources. Driven by robust festive demand and the positive impact of GST 2.0 reforms, the auto sector saw one of its strongest single-day performances in years.

According to industry estimates, these deliveries translated into sales worth Rs 8,500–10,000 crore in a single day, based on an average vehicle price of Rs 8.5–10 lakh. Leading carmakers including Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL), Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, and Hyundai Motor India (HMIL) reported record sales this festive season, as consumer confidence hit a high gear.

Amit Kamat, Chief Commercial Officer at Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd, said that this year’s Dhanteras and Diwali deliveries were spread over two to three days, aligning with auspicious muhurat timings.

“Overall demand has been robust, and the GST 2.0 reform has further provided positive momentum. We expect to deliver over 25,000 vehicles during this period,” he noted. Echoing the sentiment, Tarun Garg, Whole-time Director and COO of Hyundai Motor India Ltd, said the company witnessed strong customer demand, with deliveries expected to touch around 14,000 units — nearly 20 per cent higher than last year.

The broader festive season has also fuelled consumer spending across other sectors. Gold and silver sales surged over 25 per cent in value, while overall Dhanteras trade was estimated to have crossed Rs 1 lakh crore, according to the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT).

The All India Gem and Jewellery Domestic Council (GJC) reported strong buying activity following a sharp correction in gold prices. “We expect festive sales to cross Rs 50,000 crore this season. Despite high gold and silver prices, consumer sentiment is upbeat, driven by early wedding purchases and strategic festive buying,” said GJC Chairman Rajesh Rokde.

From automobiles to jewellery, the Diwali season has brought a wave of optimism to India’s retail landscape. Experts say the combination of festive spirit, economic recovery, and tax reforms under GST 2.0 has reignited consumer sentiment — making this one of the most buoyant festive seasons in recent memory.