Tired of receiving offensive messages from their colleague, a Reddit user sought advice from social media users by sharing a screenshot of their conversation on r/IndianWorkplace.
The employee, in their post, said that a new co-worker, whom they had known for just a month, had sent them problematic messages on WhatsApp.
The co-worker, in fact, had called them a “retarded nerd” and later referred to them as a “retarded child.”
The employee added that when they responded politely, the co-worker asked them to call after lunch, and despite their request for respect, the behaviour continued.
In the comments section, social media users emphasised that the co-worker’s language was unprofessional and clearly out of line, even in personal messages.
One suggested that the employee could send a formal text asking the co-worker to stop speaking disrespectfully and warn that further misconduct would be escalated to HR.
Another user said that they would not tolerate such language from a friend, let alone a co-worker.
Social media users, thus, discussed challenges employees face in maintaining personal boundaries, especially when interactions move to private messaging platforms.