'Work Weekends, Stay Alert 24 Hours': Employee's Post On Toxic Work Culture Sparks Debate On Reddit

(MENAFN- Live Mint) A Reddit post highlighting extreme workplace expectations has sparked a wider debate on work culture in India, with hundreds of users weighing in on long hours, weekend work and the growing pressure to stay constantly available.

The discussion began after a user shared their experience of being asked to work weekends and remain“alert for 24 hours”. Posting on the subreddit r/IndianWorkplace, the employee posed a blunt question: is it time to quit, or is this simply something professionals are expected to tolerate?

The user, who said they have over eight years of work experience, revealed that such demands have been in place since they joined the company a year ago. According to the post, working extended hours - sometimes up to 20 hours a day - along with responding to late-night messages and being available on weekends has become routine.

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“Pretty much everything like working for 20 hours and availability on weekends are normalised here. Is it time to quit or is this a normal thing that should be ignored?” the user wrote.

The employee did not name the organisation, but the post quickly went viral, drawing responses from users who said the situation felt familiar. The reactions ranged from practical advice to outright frustration with what many described as toxic workplace expectations.

Several commenters urged the employee to consider leaving, arguing that such demands rarely improve once they become part of company culture.

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“Want 24x7 availability? Pay for 24x7 availability,” one user wrote, echoing a widely shared sentiment about fair compensation.

Another user suggested pushing back directly:“Ask him if he will be available 24 hours as well. Keep messaging him during late hours when you're working. If he doesn't reply call and give him status updates.”

Some responses took a more sarcastic tone.“LOL. 24 hrs is wild. All you will get at the end is a bouquet of flowers, if lucky,” one comment read.

Others raised questions about accountability and labour regulations.“Ask him if he's paying you for 24 hrs?” another user wrote.

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One commenter pointed to a larger systemic issue, saying,“This crap is not going to stop until the government steps in and implements strict overtime pay rules. They can make a portal where employees can anonymously report companies not following the rule.”

Another suggested highlighting the impracticality of such expectations by mirroring them:“Call him at 3 AM and give him updates! Setup meetings at 1 AM and 4 AM to go through stuff you've worked during late night.”

(This report is based on user-generated content from social media. Livemint has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)

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