Indian techie adjusts office hours for newborn, US manager’s reply goes viral: ‘I can never work in India’

The techie shared that his seven-month-old’s nanny leaves at 4:30 pm, and he takes care of the baby until the mother returns at 7:30 pm.

An Indian techie living in the US has gone viral after sharing his manager’s supportive response to a change in his office schedule to care for his newborn.

The techie described the manager's reply as a perfect example of “what a good manager looks like.” (Pexels/Representational Image)

In a Reddit post, the techie explained that his seven-month-old’s nanny leaves around 4:30 pm each day, and he, who works from home, takes over childcare until the mother returns from the office at 7:30 pm.

To fix the schedule, the techie messaged his manager, explaining the changes to his work hours due to his newborn.

He also offered to make up the time at other hours.

"We have a nanny for our seven-month-old baby, and she will be leaving at 4:30 pm, so I will be out of the office each day from 4:30–7:30 pm to care for the baby,” the techie wrote.

“I plan to make up this time either at night or by starting my day earlier, depending on my schedule. I hope this adjustment works for you and the team,” he adds.

The message received a surprising response from the manager, who replied with warmth and understanding. “This is wonderful. I hope your baby enjoys spending time with the nanny and quickly learns many new things. Thank you for sharing this update.”

“To avoid any misunderstandings or scheduling conflicts, I suggest blocking this time as OOO in your calendar. This will help prevent any potential issues,” the manager adds.

The techie described the reply as a perfect example of “what a good manager looks like.”

“While we long for being close to our family, amazing Indian food, and that traditional vibe during festivals, this is one of the reasons why I don't think I can work in India EVER!!” the techie wrote.

The Reddit post has since gained widespread attention, with many praising the manager’s empathy and highlighting how supportive workplaces can make a real difference for new parents managing work and childcare.

Check out the post here:

Screengrab of the Reddit post.

Here's how people reacted to the post:

Reddit users reacted positively to the post, praising the manager’s understanding and flexibility. Many people noted that such supportive responses are rare in Indian workplaces.

One of the users commented, “Save this manager from all evil to serve humanity!”

A second user commented, “My manager would have replied with- According to our company policies, it is not possible to give you 3 hours of during business hours. Also you need to come office 5 days a week as per latest policy.”

A third user commented, “Crazy . I wish this could be normalised in India too.”

“Good managers like these are there in India too,” another user commented.

(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.)