The Unseen Cost of the 'Hustle Culture': Work-Life Conflict and its Effects on Employee Retention and Performance in India's Service Sector

This study seeks to examine how the rising prominence of ‘hustle culture’ in India’s service industry has led to an escalation of work demands. This situation has given rise to critical concerns about employee well-being and organizational sustainability. Although previous research has explored various aspects of work-life conflict (WLC), burnout, and employee outcomes, there is a scarcity of empirical research on these aspects collectively under a single framework. Keeping this research gap in mind, this study aims to explore the impact of ‘hustle culture’-induced work-life conflict on employee satisfaction, attrition, and performance. This study is based on a panel-type dataset developed from secondary research on key service sectors like IT/BPO, Banking, Consulting, and Hospitality for a period of 2017 to 2023. Using tools like descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression analysis, this study reveals that work-life conflict has a statistically significant negative impact on employee satisfaction and performance while having a positive impact on employee attrition. This study indicates that ‘hustle culture’, excessive work demands and continuous connectivity have adverse impacts on employee well-being and organizational efficiency. The present study adds to the existing body of literature by providing empirical evidence from the Indian service sector and also has significant policy implications, which suggest the need for flexible work arrangements, work-life boundaries, and employee-centric organizational practices for sustainable productivity. Keywords: Hustle Culture; Work–Life Conflict; Employee Satisfaction; Employee Attrition; Employee Performance; Service Sector.