Scolded at work for toilet breaks? Indian employee’s post on boss’s strict rules sparks outrage

A Reddit post from an Indian employee revealed a manager reprimanding workers for taking extra breaks, even for restroom use.

An Indian employee took to the internet to share messages from their manager scolding employees for taking extra breaks even for going to the toilet. In a post on Reddit, the employee shared screenshots from an office group showing the manager rebuking the workers for taking breaks longer than the mandated one hour.

A Reddit post by an Indian employee highlights their manager's harsh stance on break durations even for going to the toilet.(Representational)

"Boss thrashed co-worker for taking 25 minutes extra break," the post read. In the screenshots, the manager can be seen explaining to the workers that every break they take should be deducted from the total 60 minutes allocated for breaks to each employee daily.

Count your breaks

"When you guys take break for 10-15 min, you need to take next break [keeping in mind the total] 60 minutes - (minus) previous break. The total break in a day should not be more than 60 minutes. Hope that's okay right," the manager said.

The manager then scolded one employee for taking 27 minutes over their mandated 60 hour break. The employee explained that since they are asked to inform the manager about every break, even for going to the toilet, the total crosses 60 minutes.

"Yesterday, how much break did you take? Count and let me know," the manager said.

Another employee requested the manager to allow an additional 10 minute break to use the toilet. "No, official break is 60 minutes. That's all. Let's stick to that. I can't change that. Bye, no further messages," the manager replied.

‘Back to school’

The post angered many social media users who called out the manager for micromanaging, some even comparing the setup to a school. "I will never understand the company's obsession with a strict break time. What do they want to achieve with this? If someone completes their work of the day within 3/4 hours what are they supposed to do for the next 6/5 hours?" said one of them.

"This seems like you are back to school where one has to take permission to go to rest rooms. Even schools seem better now," wrote another.

"The boss is micromanaging things making working conditions even worse. Generally people at such senior positions have so much work, they don’t care if you take some extra break," said a third user.