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‘Managers encouraged 24x7 work in India’: Techie scolded for weekend email after moving to Germany
A techie faced reprimand for replying to work emails on weekends in Germany, unlike in India where weekend work was encouraged.
A story shared by a finance professional highlights the deep divide between the work cultures of India and Europe. Aditya Kondawar, Partner & Vice President at Complete Circle Capital, said that he met a techie who was expected to log in on weekends when he was working in India. In contrast, when the techie started working for the same company at their Germany office, he was rebuked for replying to a work email on a weekend.
India vs Europe
Kondawar posted about his conversation with the techie on the social media platform X. He explained that when the IT professional worked in India, he had managers who encouraged him to work on the weekends too. “Met an IT professional, he was working in India before. The managers encouraged him to work 24*7 and on Weekends too,” Kondawar posted on X.
(Also read: ‘They are living life, we are surviving it’: Indian man voices frustration after visiting Paris, Zurich)
When the techie moved to the company’s Germany office, he was taken aback by how different the work environment was. Instead of working on weekends, he was expected to not even check his email on Saturdays and Sundays.
In fact, when the techie replied to a work email on a weekend, his manager scolded him.
“Now he is in Germany, he replied to an email on a weekend. His manager pulled him up and scolded him for replying to a work email on a weekend,” wrote Kondawar.
The Complete Circle Capital VP reflected on the different work cultures as he wrote: “He says work cultures in same company but different geographies is poles apart!”
Internet praises European work culture
Users in the comments section were largely appreciative of the German work culture which prioritises work-life balance.
“They accomplish just as much in those fewer hours. Longer hours are rarely a sign of productivity, they mostly show inefficiency,” wrote one X user. (Also read: ‘Is life better abroad?’ Indian compares life with UK cousin who has internships with ‘good pay, work-life balance')
“Sometimes it’s not the company that changes. It’s the power employees have in that country,” another said.
“Germany optimizes for balance. India optimizes for ambition. Both systems reflect what their economies prioritize,” a user opined.
“The people who go on onsite too says the same thing. Even if their savings is less there, they stay for only one reason work life balance. It's not always money, sometimes it's peace too. It is strictly 9-5 or 9-6,” another wrote.
