A Reddit user has alleged that he was fired from a Gurgaon-based startup within 20 days of joining for taking breaks and leaving work on time. The user claimed that his employer cited an “attitude problem” as the reason for his termination.
In a viral post, the user recounted his experience, stating that just three days into the job, his employer told him he was “not down to earth” and had an attitude problem. Despite not understanding the criticism, he assured his employer that he would work on it.
The situation reportedly escalated when the employer took issue with the user spending time with colleagues. “Me and two other joinees used to go for tea and smoke together sometimes, and he started having problems with that. He said, ‘Don’t create groups, it’s not good for the company,’” the user wrote.
Additionally, the employer allegedly objected to him leaving the office at 7 PM, the designated end of the workday. “You are leaving exactly at 7; this is not good,” the employer reportedly told him.
The Reddit user further claimed that he was asked to work inside the director’s cabin, and during one instance, when he looked outside to check if a colleague had left, the director became frustrated. “The director suddenly got irritated and asked, ‘Why are you looking outside when I’m talking?’ He then told HR to terminate me immediately,” the user alleged.
The company did not provide a termination letter on the spot and instead called him in for a discussion, during which he was questioned about his conversations with new joinees. The entire discussion was reportedly recorded by the company.
Work Culture Debate Intensifies
The post has sparked discussions about workplace culture in India, especially amid a growing debate over long working hours. The controversy gained momentum after an undated video of Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Chairman S. N. Subrahmanyan went viral, in which he advocated for a 90-hour workweek and even working on Sundays.
“I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays. If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be happier because I work on Sundays. What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife? How long can wives stare at their husbands? Come on, get to the office and start working,” Subrahmanyan said in the video, triggering backlash online.