A Hyderabad techie’s Reddit post about his experience with a demanding manager has drawn reactions online. He described growing frustration over long working hours, weekend expectations and constant comparisons with his manager. After a recent confrontation at work, he is now unsure whether to stay until his retention payout or start looking for another job.
What did the techie say?
The Reddit user said he was a 2024 graduate who joined a mid-sized startup in Hyderabad last year. According to him, the job had become increasingly stressful, with his manager expecting him to spend long hours at work and continue learning outside office hours.
“Every day, literally every day feels like banging my head against a wall,” he wrote, adding that he often imagined getting hit by a car on his way to work so that he could get some rest.
(Also Read: ‘They took my oats packet’: Mother praises Indian Railways pantry staff for preparing food for 2-year-old)
He claimed that his manager regularly worked from 9 am to 9 pm and had a long commute, but expected similar commitment from his team. The techie also said his manager questioned him during their recent one-to-one meetings about why he was not reading about services, AI or other new technologies on weekends.
{{/usCountry}}He claimed that his manager regularly worked from 9 am to 9 pm and had a long commute, but expected similar commitment from his team. The techie also said his manager questioned him during their recent one-to-one meetings about why he was not reading about services, AI or other new technologies on weekends.
{{/usCountry}}“He constantly compares me, saying he is doing things on weekends and would have done the same work in half the time,” the Reddit user wrote.
The situation escalated last week when, according to his account, the manager yelled at him in front of more than 15 people.
“I almost flipped. I don’t know how, but I wasn’t myself for five to 10 seconds. I was almost on the verge of hitting him, but just in time, I snapped back to reality,” he wrote.
He later clarified that he respects his manager and considers him someone he can learn from, but said the thought took over for a few seconds during the confrontation.
Read the full story here.
Should he switch jobs?
The techie said he had received six offers during his previous job search, including some with better compensation and work-life balance. However, he chose his current company because he wanted to learn and grow.
He now regrets that decision and is worried that switching again could hurt his CV, as this is already his third company in two years. He also said he would receive a retention payout if he manages to stay for another two months.
Several Reddit users, however, advised him not to remain in a workplace that was affecting his well-being.
“Making a switch in two years is not that bad. I have no idea why you think it will be ‘really bad’. Just leave. At the very least, talk to your skip manager and ask for a different team,” one person commented.
Another wrote, “No HR or company cares about short serving periods now. Gone are those days, buddy.”
“It’s not a big deal. I’ve switched five companies in seven years, including working for three companies in one year. If your workplace is getting too toxic, then start looking. No point losing your mental health over a job,” a user said.
(Also Read: ‘Never expected to see this’: Passenger flags dirty interiors, rusted toilets on Vande Bharat)
Another commenter noted that while some managers may question frequent switches, the techie could explain his reasons during interviews.
“I know someone who switched three times within one year. If you are good at what you are doing, go ahead rather than banging your head every day,” another user wrote.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)