Man Resigns on First Day After Indian Boss Expects Overtime Without Pay: Work-life Balance is 'Western Behaviour'

A product designer called it quits on the first day of work after his boss expected him to work beyond normal working hours without compensation and dismissed the concept of work-life balance as a “fancy term” and a “Western behaviour”. The boss also pressured him to “burn the midnight oil” in a threatening manner, which the designer found to be “unreasonable, inhumane, and inconsiderate”. Additionally, he felt belittled when the boss scolded him and subjected him to treatment he deemed “unacceptable”. The man, named Shreyas, shared his experience on Reddit and even turned to the online community to refer him for UI/UX roles.

“At the end of my first day, October 7, my reporting manager made it clear that he expected unreasonable commitments—work beyond normal hours without any compensation,” Shreyas wrote on Reddit.

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He added, “When I tried to establish boundaries, he mocked me for talking about ‘work-life balance’, calling it a ‘fancy term’ and ‘Western developed nation behaviour’. He also ridiculed my desire for time to read and exercise, dismissing it as an excuse.”

“Just to avoid any misunderstanding, it is not that I am unwilling to work for a minute post work hours, it’s about the personal attacks, belittling, ridiculing me for mentioning that I have a life outside of work and have hobbies like reading, underpaying, not having any overtime policy and still expecting to work over and beyond work hours every day. (12-14 hour workday every day). I am mature enough to understand there’s a difference between exploitation, toxic environment and those that aren’t,” he further explained.

Shreyas was offered the role of an Associate Product Designer with a package of Rs 7 LPA, which he considered “below fair median pay” given his two years of experience. He accepted the offer because it was fully remote, noting that he is open to working in an office, hybrid, or fully remote setup.

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He also attached a screenshot of his resignation email in which he expressed serious concerns about his boss’s approach to work. “You’ve repeatedly made remarks about my activities outside of work hours, which I believe is highly inappropriate and unprofessional. What I choose to do in my personal time – whether it is exercising, spending time with my family, sleeping or reading books – is my prerogative and should not be subject to criticism,” Shreyas mentioned.

“Expecting work without fair compensation undermines both legal standards and the respect that every employee deserves,” he added and concluded the email with the words: “I believe it would be best for you to find another person who is willing to meet your expectations in the manner you desire. I hope you understand my decision, as I prioritise both professionalism and respect in my work relationships.”

Shreyas also shared the response he received from his boss over email. The boss acknowledged that both parties should find an employee and employer that align with their expectations. He noted, “Trying to close the gap between what was said and what was understood by both sides is not fruitful in this situation when there is a clear consensus on parting ways. There are definitely a few lessons that I have taken from this entire encounter, and I thank you for that.”

The boss also wished him luck in his “future endeavours” and confirmed that the payment for his one day of service would be processed by the accounts department.

Take a look at the Reddit post here:

Earlier, a 42-year-old Bajaj Finance employee died by suicide after bosses allegedly forced him to pay for EMIs. Tarun Saxena, who had worked for Bajaj Finance for around eight years, left behind a suicide note addressed to his wife. In the note, Saxena revealed that he had been under immense stress due to pressure from his bosses, who were allegedly pushing him to either meet his targets or call it quits.

Responding to the incident, the company said in a statement that they are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of their employee and expressed their heartfelt condolences and full support to his family.

“Based on allegations, we have relieved the concerned employees of their current responsibilities and placed them on administrative leave, allowing for an unbiased and thorough investigation of the matter. We are also extending our full support to the authorities investigating the matter. We stand in support of Tarun’s family. Our thoughts and prayers are with them,” read a part of the statement issued by Bajaj Finance.

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