A Bengaluru woman’s video comparing corporate work culture in India and the US has sparked a discussion on long working hours, office pressure and work life balance. The woman, named Sakshi on Instagram, shared her experience during a work trip to the US and said she was surprised to see the office empty by late afternoon.
In the video, she said, “I think Indian corporate mindset is so screwed up. We are so used to working late, working more. I am in the US for a work trip, and I went to the office yesterday. I reached around 9:30-10:00 am. At 4:30 pm, the entire floor was empty. I came under peer pressure and left the floor at 5:00 pm. And then I was free, like, seriously free.”
She added that the early end to her office day allowed her to do something she rarely gets time for in India. “After that, I went for a hike, I saw the sunset, and for the whole three hours, I kept thinking that I have time to do something after office. Whereas in India, my office day starts at 9:00 am, something like that, and I have meetings until 10:00 pm. Forget about sunset or a walk, I don't get time to cook or eat dinner. Can this be fixed? I don't know,” she said.
Caption raises question on corporate life in India
{{/usCountry}}She added that the early end to her office day allowed her to do something she rarely gets time for in India. “After that, I went for a hike, I saw the sunset, and for the whole three hours, I kept thinking that I have time to do something after office. Whereas in India, my office day starts at 9:00 am, something like that, and I have meetings until 10:00 pm. Forget about sunset or a walk, I don't get time to cook or eat dinner. Can this be fixed? I don't know,” she said.
Caption raises question on corporate life in India
{{/usCountry}}The clip was shared with the caption, “Is this just me or corporate environment is really becoming hard now in India?”
Her remarks struck a chord with many social media users, especially those who said they had experienced similar struggles in Indian workplaces. Several users agreed that long working hours and late evening meetings have become normalised in many companies.
Internet reacts
Reacting to the clip, one user wrote, “This is so true. In India, leaving on time feels like a crime.” Another said, “Work life balance is still treated like a luxury here.” A third user commented, “The problem is not work, the problem is the mindset that more hours mean more productivity.”
(Also read: After building ‘dream life’ in Canada, Indian woman plans to return home: ‘Success alone doesn’t create fulfilment’)
Another user shared, “Meetings after 7 pm should simply not be allowed unless it is an emergency.”
HT.com has reached out to the user for her comments, and the copy will be updated once her response is received.
(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.)