Employee Seeks Leave After Grandfather's Death, Boss Angers Internet With 'Okay, But...'

A recent Reddit post reignited widespread discussion about the growing pressures faced by private-sector employees, highlighting what many describe as an increasingly “toxic” corporate work environment. The post, shared by a user who has been employed at a private firm for two years, detailed a troubling exchange with his manager on the night his grandfather passed away.

According to the employee, he sent a message to his manager informing him of the sudden passing of his grandparent and requesting leave for the following day. The response he received, though briefly sympathetic, quickly shifted back to work demands.

The manager allegedly replied, “So sorry to hear that,” and then went on to say, “Take the day off. But we are onboarding a couple

of clients today, can you stay on the induction call?” He asked the Redditor to “be active on WhatsApp” and also “pitch in with the designers whenever needed”.

The exchange struck a nerve online. Within hours, the post attracted lakhs of views and thousands of comments from users sharing similar experiences. The employee wrote in frustration, “Do managers forget that we’re people and not just machines churning out results?”

His words resonated widely. One commenter recounted how her employer allowed only three days of leave following her father’s death. Another said that even after his wife suffered a miscarriage, he was asked to attend a meeting the next day. A third user claimed that when his mother was hospitalised, his manager insisted he “work from home and give hourly updates”.

See the viral post here:

Do you have to sell your soul to be an Indian manager?
byu/sanity-error-404 inIndianWorkplace

Many commenters pointed out what they see as a larger structural issue, companies cutting hiring costs and transferring excessive workloads to existing staff. Employees reported being contacted on weekends, assigned tasks late at night, and pressured to work through illness, sometimes even required to present a doctor’s note to justify a sick day.

The viral post has reignited conversations about worker burnout, mental health, and the need for stronger employee protections. Several users urged the original poster to consider quitting, while others noted that such stories are posted with alarming frequency across social media platforms.

However, the discussion also highlighted that not all corporate environments are the same. Some companies, commenters noted, have begun implementing more progressive policies, including mental-health days, flexible leave, and restrictions on after-hours messaging, in an effort to counteract burnout and improve overall workplace well-being.