In recent years, discussions around workplace culture in India’s booming tech sector have taken centre stage, with employees increasingly speaking up about burnout, unequal pay, and unfulfilled promises. A story shared anonymously on Reddit has thrown light on how even product-based companies with high salaries can foster toxic work environments.
As per the post, the employee, who joined a product-based company as a fresher in 2021 with a salary of 13 lakh per annum, initially enjoyed the benefits of a lucrative compensation package. However, challenges began soon after joining. Despite official working hours set from 11 AM to 8 PM (aligned with European time zones), the employee was routinely required to work late into the night, often until 1 AM IST.
“After two to three years of hard work, I confronted my manager, and the late-night work was eventually shifted to others,” the post revealed. While this adjustment brought some relief, deeper issues remained.
The employee, now with four years of experience, faced another harsh reality. Despite verbal assurances from the manager about a promotion, the salary had only increased to 15 LPA, whereas colleagues with similar experience were earning around 18 LPA. The situation worsened when the company granted a 0% hike and no stock options, while peers received 13–15% hikes or RSUs worth thousands of dollars.
When questioned, management cited “uncertain times due to AI” and asked the employee to be patient, promising that adjustments would be considered in the next cycle. This explanation, however, offered little consolation.
The Reddit post further revealed that the company had intentionally allocated the promotion and salary hike budget to a specific group within the team deemed “critical for retention.” Those outside this group were left with empty promises, highlighting systemic favoritism and lack of transparency in performance evaluation.
The post received numerous responses from users sharing advice and experiences. One user suggested, “Switch… without drama. Prepare, take offers, then offer on offer and resign quietly without showing signs of revenge, anger, betrayal, disappointment.” Another commented from a managerial perspective, “As a manager I can confirm there’s some truth to it. Your manager has simply deprioritised you because they think you’re not going anywhere or are easy to manipulate.”
Other users echoed the frustration, warning about the limits of hard work. “No matter how much work you do, it will never be enough. Respect your time and avoid overtime like the plague. You will make great friends in your career but time will teach you how to find the good ones. As a rule of thumb, never trust a word anyone in management says unless it’s in writing (even then, always check for ambiguity and fine prints),” one user wrote.
This Reddit story serves as a reminder that a high salary alone can’t compensate for a toxic work culture. True employee satisfaction requires transparent policies, equitable pay, and a healthy work environment that values contributions without favoritism.