AND Reddit the post highlighting extreme workplace expectations sparked a wider debate about work culture in India, with hundreds of users dealing with long hours, weekend work and increasing pressure to be always available.
The discussion started after a user shared his experience of being asked to work weekends and stay “on call 24 hours”. An employee who posted on the r/IndianWorkplace subreddit asked a direct question: is it time to quit, or is this simply something professionals are expected to tolerate?
The user, who said they have more than eight years of work experience, revealed that such requirements have existed since they joined the company a year ago. According to the post, working long hours — sometimes up to 20 hours a day — along with answering messages late into the night and being available on weekends became routine.
“Basically everything like working 20 hours and being available on weekends is normalized here. Is it time to quit or is this a normal thing to ignore?” written by the user.
The employee did not name the organization, but the post quickly went viral, prompting reactions from users who said the situation was familiar. Reactions ranged from practical advice to outright frustration at what many described as toxic workplace expectations.
Several commenters urged the employee to consider leaving, arguing that such requests rarely improve once they become part of the company culture.
“Want 24×7 availability? Pay for 24×7 availability,” one user wrote, echoing a widely shared sentiment about fair compensation.
Another user suggested he appeal directly: “Ask him if he’ll be available 24 hours too. Message him late hours when you’re working. If he doesn’t answer, call him and don’t give him status updates.”
Some responses took a more sarcastic tone. “LOL. 24 hours is a wilderness. All you get at the end is a bouquet of flowers if you’re lucky,” read one comment.
Others raised questions about liability and work regulations. “Ask him if he pays you 24 hours?” another user wrote.
One commenter pointed to a larger systemic problem, saying: “This crap won’t stop until the government steps in and enforces strict rules on overtime pay. They can create a portal where employees can anonymously report companies that don’t follow the rules.”
Another suggested emphasizing the impracticality of such expectations by mirroring them: “Call him at 3:00 a.m. and give him an update! Make appointments at 1:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. to go over the things you worked on late at night.”
(This report is based on user-generated content from social media. Livemint has not independently verified and does not endorse these claims.)
