Pushing through late hours to clear tasks might feel like dedication, but a senior developer from the UK saw it as a red flag for burnout. When an Indian techie kept responding to feedback late into the night despite the time difference, the senior engineer stepped in with a firm ultimatum, threatening to call their manager if they didn't log off. Reflecting on the exchange, the developer shared how the moment served as a sweet, eye-opening lesson in prioritising personal time over endless work.
“I work with a senior developer from England. Because of the time difference, whenever he reviewed my PR and left comments, I'd reply immediately. Even if it was 9 or 10 PM in India,” an X user who goes by “@Om_Codes_” wrote.
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The techie continued, “One day he noticed and asked me, ’Wait.. are you working beyond your work hours?’ I said, ‘Yeah, but it's fine.’ He warned me a few times. But I still kept replying.”
However, that is when the colleague stepped in to make it clear that the techie shouldn’t work after working hours. “Then one day he said: ’If you reply to my comments after 7 PM India time again, I won't review your PR for an entire week.’ Then he added, ‘Should I talk to your manager?’ Now I intentionally wait until the next day before replying.”
The techie continued, “I still end up working sometimes… But yeah it made me realise how they prioritise their personal life apart from work too. He cared more about my work-life balance than I did which was really sweet tbh.”
{{/usCountry}}The techie continued, “I still end up working sometimes… But yeah it made me realise how they prioritise their personal life apart from work too. He cared more about my work-life balance than I did which was really sweet tbh.”
{{/usCountry}}What did social media say?
An individual recalled, “I was told to shut my laptop by my Romanian colleague as I raised a PR on Friday. Learned that day - never work for an Indian company or manager.” Another commented, “I had a similar experience in the UK. My manager once sent me home early because I'd finished my work and told me to go enjoy the day. That was new to me.”
A third expressed, “Yeah, I have a manager from Leeds. When she was planning a weekly connection on a Monday evening IST, she asked me twice and told me it's okay if I miss the call, as it'll be late evening my time. I attend the meeting anyway because it's not that late and I can reach home and attend.” A fourth wrote, “I wish I worked with people like them.”