A recent Reddit post has drawn attention online after a user revealed that their boss insulted their partner and family. The post, shared on the subreddit r/IndianWorkplace, sparked a discussion about workplace conduct and the boundaries of professional behaviour.
The Redditor, who goes by the username ‘Appropriate‑Panic936’, wrote that during a routine work discussion this week, their boss suddenly made personal remarks that crossed a major line. According to the Redditor, the exchange, which was recorded on office CCTV, took an unexpected turn when the boss began attacking user’s personal life.
The user revealed, “He said I should ‘be careful about the kind of people’ I’m around and criticized the guy I’m going to marry, saying my boyfriend doesn’t work hard enough because he’s around the office after hours.”
For context, the Redditor explained that their partner works in IT, where tasks are based on outputs rather than fixed hours. Explaining the situation user wrote, “My boyfriend works in IT with task-based work, so once he’s done, he’s free. He drops me off in the morning and picks me up after work, and we don’t even talk during office hours because of this boss. Still, he had the audacity to say I’m obsessed with marrying him and that my whole life revolves around him- clearly not in a positive way.”
The Redditor also said this was not the first time the boss had made personal remarks. On a separate occasion, the boss reportedly said, “I don’t know what kind of family you come from, but I come from a hard-working family,” which the Redditor found ironic given the boss’s background. According to the Redditor, the boss inherited their position in the company from their father despite having no publicly visible qualifications, and often reminded employees of their authority by saying things like “this is my company, you do whatever I say.”
Feeling undermined and insulted, the Redditor asked their online community for advice, “What do you think I should do? I have a master’s degree and I’m confident I’m more qualified than them.”
Many Reddit users quickly responded, expressing support and offering various perspectives. One user wrote, “I smell jealousy from miles away. Just because he didn’t had that kind of life he is pissed off , jelaous and insecure. Ignore him but don’t forget to invite him to the official party, make sure you light some fire where the sun doesn’t shine.”
One commenter suggested a calm but firm response, “Just say, ‘Sir, I’d appreciate it if u do not comment over my personal life. I come from a respectable family and u mocking them or my to-be husband is crossing a boundary and is clearly not professional or work-related. I work for your company as an employee during work hours and beyond that whatever i do shouldn’t be your concern. I hope u understand.’ And oh… Please hunt for another job as this boss is clearly toxic.”
Another Reddit user added, “He is crossing limits…You should consider switching your job and after getting fnf and relieving letter, tell your boss that you love your boyfriend and you prefer to be with him rather than being with a privileged guy having generational wealth with no brain.”
One more expressed, “He definitely overstepped and made personal attack. Time to change the team or change the organization.” Many agreed that while criticism at work can sometimes be part of growth, personal attacks on family and relationships are unacceptable.