A young finance professional has revealed her decision to return to India for work – and how the realities of corporate life made her question the move. Sincerely Reddit post titled ‘Moved back to India for work, now seriously regretting it’, the 26-year-old shared the struggles she has faced since the move.
The user, who completed most of her schooling in Singapore, wrote that India always felt like home growing up. She even decided to continue her undergraduate studies here before moving to London for a master’s program. London, she said, was her “childhood dream” – and working there only strengthened her love for the city.
However, due to personal reasons, she left her job in the UK and returned to Singapore to join an investment bank. When the company restructured and outsourced its department’s operations to India, it took on a lower-paying role in the country – hoping it would bring it closer to its roots.
But in just three months, she says the experience was far from what she expected.
The young professional called out what she describes as a “boss culture,” office politics and a “lack of boundaries,” writing that the transition was mentally draining. “I miss openness, structure and respect for boundaries,” she said, adding that she now had to “justify taking a day off,” something she had never faced abroad.
The post sparked a conversation among professionals who have returned after working overseas – many echoing similar concerns about long working hours, micromanagement and a skewed work-life balance in Indian corporate culture.
The Redditor admits she can’t stop questioning her choice: “Should I never have left London? Or even Singapore?” She ended her message by asking others for advice on whether she should reapply for jobs in the UK and Europe.
The Internet is responding
“That’s why whenever there’s something between emotions and brains, you should always choose. If you don’t have any elderly parents, it’s better to leave,” the user wrote.
“If you’re stuck in India for now, make sure you’re not working for an Indian company or an Indian manager in a company with a high concentration of Indians around the world,” another user wrote.
“Go back if you can. It’s honestly exhausting for people like us who have been fighting this culture since day one of our working lives,” wrote a third user.
