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Viral Reddit Account of Manager Pressing Grieving Employee to Work Fuels Questions About Indian Office Norms

Major outlets amplified the unverified WhatsApp screenshot as user-generated content, focusing attention on boundaries and empathy in India’s always-on work culture.

Overview

  • The anonymous post shows a manager offering condolences for a grandfather’s death, then asking the employee to join client onboarding and stay active on WhatsApp.
  • The employee said two years at a marketing agency involved repeated role changes, tasks beyond scope, and heavier loads after budget-related layoffs.
  • Readers across platforms condemned the exchange, with many urging the poster to document the chat, escalate to leadership, or resign and copy the CEO.
  • Some managers cited opposite practices, including extended bereavement leave and shielding staff from work during personal crises, indicating varied norms.
  • News reports stressed the screenshot and claims were not independently verified, and there has been no reported formal response from the employer or manager; separate unverified posts of similar incidents are also circulating.