Reddit User Says Indian Mindset Is Destroying European Work Policies, Sparks Debate

In recent months, Reddit has become a popular platform for employees to share their job struggles and workplace concerns. Several subreddits have emerged where employees anonymously share their stories and also connect with others who face similar challenges. Now, an employee working in India with a European company has claimed that his "friendly" workplace is being destroyed because of "Indian work culture". In a detailed post on Reddit, the user who goes by 'handlewithcareb' on the platform, shared that he has an "employee-friendly" workplace where he has a flexible 8-hour shift, hybrid (4 days office a week) and no overtime work. 

"I've spent a year here and honestly, I am pretty happy. But I think sometimes, the Indian mindset doesn't let us enjoy these perks," the employee wrote. He shared that his entire team is based in Europe, except for him. "I just sit in the India office and work remotely from there. I don't mind that because the office is a happening place," he said. 

Indian work culture is destroying the employee friendly European work policies
byu/handlewithcareb inIndianWorkplace

However, one recent incident has made him believe that Indian work culture is destroying employee-friendly European work policies. 

"Recently, I got a bad sprain in my foot and have to stay home for 2 weeks as Metro commute isn't feasible. I took leaves for a week and requested my Europe based manager for a one-week work from home for the next week. She was totally on-board with that because my other team members also do the same for no reason at all," the employee wrote. 

"The Indian HR was against it and pushed me to take unnecessary leaves instead, which I was saving for something else later this year. Now I'll have a big backlog when I come back. While I'm completely fine and capable of working right now. And since all of my work is remote, it's absurd to not being able to work from home," he claimed.

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Since being shared, the Reddit post has gone viral, sparking a discussion on Indian workplace culture. 

"If both the European and Indian office are under the same parent organisation, then a polite and cry-baby type email to the Indian HR along with their European counterparts or bosses in CC might do the job. But that really depends on the org structure. Since both offices are involved in your work team, it shouldn't be a bad idea I'm guessing. Just make the Indian HR look like an absolute unempathetic idiot without using any impolite or accusing language. Fight fire with fire haha," wrote one user. 

"HRs are nothing but glorified receptionists. They shouldn't be approving or rejecting your leaves- that is the job of the manager," commented another. 

"Indian HR is useless - and if this is what they're upto, no wonder my applications are going unanswered. They're completely a cost center without any value. Just tell HR your work commitments are important and not to be compromised. As one german told me - my body is injured but my mind is fine. Just type and send that to HR," a third user wrote. 

"Indian Managers are either boomers or 80s millennial. They still have the slave mentality (Exceptions are always there). Since they never got the benefit of wfh, they do not like it when the juniors (90s millennial and genZs) get the benefit. It is sad to see so many unhappy Managers here in India who make other's life hell. Your HR is no exception here," said another.