Employee Resigns on First Day of Work After Being Asked To Do Overtime for Free, Mocked Over Work-Life Balance

Mumbai, October 9: An employee resigned on the first day of his job after he was expected to work extra hours for free. He was also mocked for the concept of work-life balance, and it was called a "fancy term" and a "western developed nation behaviour" he was scolded too. Following this, he decided to quit his job on the first day.

According to a Reddit post, Sheryas, a product designer who joined his new organisation on Ocotber 7, revealed that his manager expected  "unreasonable" commitments that were to work beyond normal hours without any compensation. He mentioned that when he attempted to set boundaries, the other person mocked his efforts by belittling the concept of a "work-life balance," calling it a "fancy phrase" and "behaviour typical of Western developed countries." He also derided his wish to have time for reading and exercising, dismissing it as a mere excuse. Google Employee Resigns After Working 18 Years, Slams Sundar Pichai Having ‘Lack of Visionary Leadership’ and Says Company Has ‘Eroded’ Culture.

He clarified that his issue was not with working beyond regular hours for a short duration but with the personal attacks, belittlement, and ridicule he faced whenever he mentioned having a life outside of work and hobbies like reading. He also pointed out the unfair practices of underpayment, the lack of an overtime policy, and the expectation to work excessively long hours daily, often up to 12-14 hours. He emphasised that he was mature enough to distinguish between a toxic, exploitative environment and one that is not. ‘You Are Easily Replaceable!’ LinkedIn Post Highlights Forced Resignation, Toxic Work Culture Where Employees Are Compelled To Quit.

Shreyas received an offer for the position of Associate Product Designer with a salary package of Rs 7 LPA, which he felt was "below the fair median pay" considering his two years of experience. He accepted the offer primarily because it was a fully remote role, though he remains open to working in an office, hybrid, or remote setup.

Shreyas attached a screenshot of his resignation email, expressing concerns about his boss's comments on his personal life. He stated that his activities outside of work were his own choice and shouldn't be criticised. He also highlighted the issue of unpaid overtime, emphasizing that fair compensation is essential. He ended the email by suggesting it would be best for the company to find someone who met their expectations.

His boss responded, agreeing that both parties should seek better alignment with their expectations. He acknowledged learning some lessons from the experience, wished Shreyas well, and confirmed that payment for his one day of service would be processed.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 09, 2024 01:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).