Grind Culture

What does Grind Culture mean?

A place that encourages non-stop work

Grind culture is a societal mindset that people need to work tirelessly and be productive to validate their worth. It’s similar to the hustle culture and is named after the endless hours that many workers dedicate to earn a living.

Just like hustle culture, grind culture can describe a particular work environment that a company promotes. This is particularly prevalent in countries like the United States, where the philosophy of hard work for achieving dreams is heavily emphasized. Additionally, grind culture can also represent an individual’s mental state where they gauge their life’s worth based on their job accomplishments and success.

Grind culture can manifest differently in various jobs. For instance, you might get a promotion based on the amount of time you spend at work, your willingness to be available during non-working hours, and whether your colleagues or superiors perceive you as a team player. Being a team player could mean accepting less attractive tasks or letting others take credit for your work.

The Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 made many workers reconsider their commitment to grind culture. Specifically, many younger workers, or Gen Zers, started to adopt the soft life mantra as an alternative to grind culture. This lifestyle prioritizes mental well-being and less work over a workaholic lifestyle.

Example for using ‘Grind Culture’ in a conversation

Hey, have you heard about grind culture?

Yeah, it’s all about working non-stop, right? Like, no time for anything else.

Exactly! It’s this belief that we have to prove our worth by working ourselves to the bone.

I know what you mean. It’s like we’re expected to be available 24/7 and put work above everything else.