Two Indian-origin techies have praised the UK for its work-life balance, saying that India comes up short in comparison. Kartik Modi and Harendra Sharma shared an Instagram video showing how they left their office in the UK before 5 pm and reached a beautiful beach just 10 minutes away from their workplace. Such a scenario would be unimaginable in India, they claimed.
Both Modi and Sharma are based in Wales, where they work at Amazon in the IT space. Both of them have previously worked in India, and are therefore qualified to comment on the differences between the two countries.
Work-life balance in the UK vs India
“So you people ask me why I have left India and come work so far away,” Modi said in his Instagram video shared one day ago. “Well, right now it’s 5 pm in the evening, and I have a Diet Coke in my hand and I’m enjoying the beautiful view at a beautiful beach.”
The Amazon software developer turned his camera around to show a pristine and secluded beach in Wales.
(Also read: ‘They are living life, we are surviving it’: Indian man voices frustration after visiting Paris, Zurich)
{{/usCountry}}(Also read: ‘They are living life, we are surviving it’: Indian man voices frustration after visiting Paris, Zurich)
{{/usCountry}}“And if you don’t believe me, I have a colleague with me,” Modi added, pointing the camera towards Harendra Sharma.
Sharma, a technical support engineer at Amazon, agreed with Modi on India’s work-life balance.
“Bhai main toh gadha ban gaya tha India mein kaam kar kar ke (I worked like a donkey in India),” he said. “Yahan aa ke baad pata laga ki what a life yar. Yahan life bahut balanced hai. Amazing (It was after coming to the UK that I realised what a life this is. Life here is very balanced),” Sharma added.
‘Not criticism’
While sharing the clip on Instagram, Kartik Modi referred to Blinkit and Zomato’s lightning fast deliveries — points that are often seen as being in India’s favour when debating the pros and cons of life in India vs abroad.
Modi said he was happy without Blinkit and Zomato in the UK. “Nahi chahiye bhai Blinkit aur Zomato. Mil toh tab bhi adulterated samaan hi raha hai na (I don’t want Blinkit or Zomato. They are anyway delivering adulterated goods),” he wrote.
In a follow-up comment, Modi clarified that he was not criticising India as a whole, but only the country’s work culture. He added that he had worked with Microsoft in India, which is one of the best companies for work-life balance, but the way of life he got to experience in the UK has been unmatched.
“I’m not criticising India here, just the work culture in India. FYI : I have worked in one of the best work life balance providing companies in India (Microsoft, Uber etc) - but still this is unmatched,” he said.