A job seeker recently shared their experience on Reddit after being inducted into Company A, where they were expected to work from a client’s office. While things seemed normal initially, the individual was surprised to learn about the company’s strict policies. The post was titled, What reason can I give for leaving a company just after 1 day?”
The user added, “Things seemed fine initially, but the HR said that I’ll have to wear formal clothes and be clean-shaven and WFO for 5 days”
The offer letter also carried heavy restrictions, including a 10% CTC recovery penalty if the employee left within six months, along with repayment of a ₹50,000 joining bonus.
A better offer, but a tough exit
In their post, the individual revealed they had also received an offer from Company B, which offered the same pay but promised a better work culture and fewer restrictions. They admitted they did not want to work for Company A anymore, even if the salary was increased slightly, and asked fellow Redditors how to exit without burning bridges.
One user advised the poster to stick with honesty, writing, “Yeah. Just be honest with this one. They’ll try to keep you there but you could say you have already made up your mind. That way there’s nothing more they can do. If they try some cheap tricks just know you did the right thing.
It kinda sounds like you are working for the military with the clean shave, etc. Anyways, congratulations on the offer.”
‘No soft way to quit’ say others
Others, however, highlighted the difficulty of leaving such organizations smoothly. Another user shared: “Been in this situation. No matter what you try to do, you will burn the bridges. What I did was sent an email that I got an offer with better salary, work culture and employee benefits, I highlighted few key policies which were not employee friendly.”
A third commenter was more blunt, saying: “There’s no breaking it to them softly. Either abscond or else tell them upfront. Whichever way, they are not going to be happy.”
The thread sparked debate around restrictive company policies, and many agreed that sometimes walking away is the only option, even if it means upsetting the employer.