Man Slams Office Culture Of ‘Looking Busy' To Impress Indian Bosses: ‘Self-Induced Toxicity'
A man shared how his friend working at a mid-sized IT company regularly finishes their tasks by 6:30 p.m. but doesn't leave for hours.
Work-life balance has been a long-standing topic of discussion, with companies often making lofty promises but rarely delivering. Recently, a man spoke up about a common reality in Indian workplaces: employees staying logged in even after finishing their work, just because their manager hasn't signed off yet. He labelled it an 'outdated mindset" that prioritises presence over productivity.
In a Reddit post, the man shared how a friend working at a mid-sized IT company regularly finishes their tasks by 6:30 p.m. but doesn't leave for hours. Why? Because their manager often stays online until 8, and the team feels pressured to do the same.
'It's not like there are pending tasks. People literally just scroll through Instagram, keep half-heartedly typing, or pretend to be busy. The reason? No one wants to be seen leaving 'early" while the boss is still around," wrote the man.
Furthermore, questioning such practices in the Indian office, the Reddit user wrote, 'His friend finds it really frustrating, but feels pressured to stay just to maintain 'visibility.' Are other Indian workplaces like this too? Or is this just an outdated mindset we're still clinging to where long hours = good work, regardless of productivity?"
Online Users Share Personal Experiences
The post struck a chord with many Indian professionals, sparking a flood of responses from people who said they've faced the same situation. One user wrote, 'This is self-induced toxicity. Someone just needs to break the chain. Who knows, maybe even the manager will start leaving early too."
Another individual noted, 'In my last company, work timings were till 7 PM and once my CEO complained that I'm leaving as early as 7:30 PM, leaving a bad impression on other employees. Folks were staying till 8:30 PM, and I, as a team lead, should not be leaving earlier than reportees."
A person also shared the repercussions of standing up for themselves. The user wrote, 'Been there done that, one day I just said to my manager, I feel sleepy, and I am logging off, that's it, although I faced some criticism from them for some days."
While many agreed that such practices are widespread across workplaces in the country, others pointed out that there are a few companies actively trying to break away from this outdated culture.
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First Published:
July 28, 2025, 08:38 IST
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