E-Paper
‘Work culture is not hell’: Man who worked in Europe, UK, Canada and US says Bengaluru’s real problem is commute
A man claimed Bengaluru’s commute, not work culture, is the real reason many professionals feel exhausted.
A Reddit post about India’s work culture has sparked a discussion online after a man argued that the problem is not always long working hours, but the quality of commute, personal choices and individual priorities. The post, titled “Work culture in India is not hell. It is Subjective,” was shared by a Reddit user who claimed to have worked in Europe, the UK, Canada, the USA and India.
(Also read: Google techie fumes as 4 km Bengaluru office commute takes 45 minutes: ‘Hamare taxes jaa kahan rahe hain?’)
In the post, the user wrote, “So, I keep on hearing this a lot, ‘Work culture in India is hell’. I have worked in Europe, UK, Canada and USA. And in India. Work culture is always subjective. It all depends on what are you looking for. And are you ok with taking bs from your boss.”
The user further compared Indian professionals with locals in Western countries, saying, “Locals in the western countries can take life easy. They are okay with being a Senior Engineer all their life. They are okay with not building a large corpus, health and education is taken care by the country. They let their kids do whatever they want. But, that is never the case with Indians. Indians are always hustling and trying to be better than before.”
‘Commute is the main reason Bangalore gets a bad name’
The Reddit user said that Indian professionals, whether in India or abroad, often focus on earning more, building savings and exploring additional income sources. “Most don’t really take long breaks or sabbatical to ‘find themselves’. Whether in India or abroad. And, they do want more money. Apart from a job, they will start doing a side business as well, shop, real estate etc,” the user added.
(Also read: Bengaluru man leaves Bellandur at 5 pm, remains stuck in traffic 3+ hours later)
According to the post, the biggest problem in India is not necessarily office culture, but commute. “The main problem in India is actually, commute. THAT is hell. If you can solve that, remote, hybrid, house near office, life becomes much better. Commute is the main reason Bangalore gets a bad name,” the user wrote.
The user also argued that nobody is forcing people to work 14 hours a day. “You can choose to work 8 hours, or 6 hours as well. Yes, you will miss ‘Onsite’, or a promotion, or get a lower hike. But that can be worth it if you are okay with it,” the post read.
Check out the post here:
Internet reacts
The post drew mixed reactions from Reddit users. One user wrote, “I don’t find the commute in London or the weather in Europe horrible. The Tube is great. I would choose cold weather any day over 45°C heat, terrible AQI, and spending two hours stuck in a car, bumping over potholes and dealing with road rage.” Another said, “Work culture may be subjective, but toxic managers are very real.” A third commented, “This is actually a balanced take. Not everyone wants the same career path.” Another user added, “You can’t compare salaries in Europe with those in cities like Bengaluru. I have worked in both places, and the differences in income, expenses and lifestyle expectations are significant.” Someone else wrote, “The point about compensation per hour is very true.” Another said, “Indians are always under pressure to grow, earn and prove themselves.”
(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.)
