An IT professional with more than a decade of experience has sparked a debate on Reddit after suggesting that having a family can negatively impact career progression in India’s corporate sector.
The work culture rewards constant availability
In his post, the user shared that he spent 13 years in the IT industry and worked in several multinational corporations before joining a product-based company. Despite the changes in organizations everywhere, he observed a similar pattern—employees who remain available all the time tend to gain more visibility and recognition.
“I’ve been working in IT for 13 years now and I’m currently at PBC. I’ve worked in several multinational companies before and it’s the same everywhere. I’ve had colleagues and managers who started work at 8am and even seen them online and emailing at 11pm, getting exposure and getting a lot of work done with their 12-14 hour days,” he wrote.
The professional explained that his priorities changed after marriage as he began to value time spent with his wife during the evenings and weekends. Becoming a parent in the past two years has further strengthened his focus on family life.
“Since I got married, I have always loved spending time with my wife during the evenings and weekends, enjoying nice dinners and walks. I had a baby in the last two years and I absolutely love spending time with her,” he added.
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The perception gap in commitment
He pointed out that while he usually signs off at a reasonable time to be with his family, employees who stay available late into the night are often seen as more committed by senior management.
“I can see how much of a difference it makes to senior management to have someone who is always away on email or phone and someone who is unavailable after 7:30 p.m.,” he wrote.
The user also noted that his current manager is not married and many senior executives do not have children, which he believes affects how loyalty is viewed in the organization.
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“I know I’m not seen as committed as other colleagues who are also single, and it’s reflected in my performance reviews,” he said.
Online reactions highlight broader concerns
The post, titled “Having a family is a disadvantage for career advancement in India”, drew widespread reactions from other users, many of whom echoed similar concerns.
One user wrote, “This is the bitter truth of corporate India. Availability is often mistaken for dedication.” Another said: “People with families are not less ambitious, they just have responsibilities beyond the office job.”
A third user commented: “Companies keep talking about work-life balance, but promotions often target those who are online all the time.” Another added: “Productivity should matter more than who’s emailing at 11pm.
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Some also pointed to burnout as a growing problem. “This is why many people burn out after a few years in IT,” noted one user, while another emphasized, “Managers need to understand that spending time with family is not a lack of commitment.”
A seventh user summed up the sentiment by saying, “The culture won’t change until management starts rewarding output instead of late-night availability.”
Disclaimer: This report is based on user generated content from social media. LiveMint has not independently verified and does not endorse the claims.)
