Boss Rants as Junior Employee Tries to 'Make Up' for Late Hours, Ignites Twitter Firestorm

In the last couple of months while we have been immersed in discussions about toxic and ideal work cultures, a new social media post by an Indian boss has sent the internet into frenzy and sparked the debate yet again.

Ayushi Doshi, who describes herself as a lawyer and tax enthusiast on social media, recently took to X and shared a work-related experience she had with her junior.

Doshi shared a screen shot of a message she received from one of her juniors, who said he would be late the next day as he had to spend a few extra hours at office the previous day due to work.

The message read, “Hi sir and ma’am. I will be coming tomorrow at 11:30 am because I am currently leaving the office at 8:30 pm." To which Doshi expressed her shock and wrote, “I can’t believe my junior sent me this. Today’s kids are something else. He stayed late, so now he’s going to show up late to the office to ‘make up’ for it. What a move! I am speechless man."

As her post gained traction, a user responded, "Choice 1 : To not force junior work late and be a good human. Choice 2 : Force to work late and then post in twitter to get likes."

"Choice 3: Work late, tweet insults, then wait for the likes from people who’ve never met a deadline in their life," Doshi replied.

Another user also sympathised with the junior and wrote, "Maybe he's trying to make sure he's as productive as possible without burning out. Younger employees sometimes bring a refreshing perspective on how to maintain efficiency without compromising their well-being!"

"That’s the right way u people need to follow office timing and professional way of working," wrote another user joining the conversation.

Read: SEBI Denies Claims of Toxic Work Culture, Blames ‘External Elements’: All You Need to Know

Following the engagement, Doshi clarified that her junior was given a three-day deadline to complete a task that would usually require at least one full day of work.

"His working hours were from 10 am to 7 pm, but if he wasn’t able to finish within that time frame, he had to put in barely 1.5 hours to complete the task. The issue is that he’s losing valuable time by being on his phone instead of staying focused on the work. When there’s a deadline to meet, sometimes a bit of extra time is necessary to get everything done," Doshi further explained.

To which a new user responded, "Thanks for letting us know , we shouldn't gave any case to you , if you cannot respect your colleague , you will not respect your client!"

Many others also criticized Doshi for sharing the private conversation openly on social media.

A Glance at Toxic Work Culture Scenario

A couple of months back, a 26-year-old chartered accountant at leading accounting firm EY India died a few months after joining the firm. Her parents alleged that “long hours took a toll on her physically, emotionally and mentally”. Since then, the debate on this topic has been simmering on social media.

Earlier, Outlook Business had pointed out in its latest cover story that how Gen Z rebels are calling out toxic work culture on social media widely and how they prioritize mental well-being. Hence, millennials and Gen Zs are clashing over working standards. Quiet quitting is spreading across Indian industry. In fact, according to a report by staffing firm Genius Consultants, over 48 per cent of Gen Zs surveyed attributed toxic work culture as the primary reason for quiet quitting.