UK developer threatens to call manager after Indian techie repeatedly works past office hours
The Indian techie shared how he was grateful that the UK colleague cared more about his work-life balance than he did.
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.
Also Read: European boss stops Indian employee from working past midnight in wholesome exchange
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.”
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.”
ABOUT THE AUTHORTrisha SenguptaTrisha Sengupta is a Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of digital newsroom experience. Specialising in high-engagement storytelling, she blends viral trends with traditional journalism to cover the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. Her reporting spans real estate and personal finance struggles in hubs like Bengaluru and Gurgaon, the NRI experience, and corporate shifts like tech layoffs. Trisha also frequently tracks global figures and writes human interest stories. Offline, Trisha is an avid reader, history enthusiast and solo traveler. She balances her journalism career with family life while actively integrating AI tools into her modern storytelling approach.Read More

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