A Reddit post by a tech professional has resonated widely online after he revealed how his manager held his personal life, his wedding, and his father’s passing, responsible for project delays.
In a detailed account, the anonymous poster explained that he joined a major Indian IT firm in 2022 as a fresher, with an annual salary of Rs 8.5 lakh. Despite consistently contributing to projects for over a year, he claimed that a senior manager blocked his promotion simply because he didn’t like him.
“I wasn’t among those who constantly tried to please him. I focused on delivering results,” he wrote, noting that office politics wasn’t even the worst part of his experience.
After initially resigning due to the toxic environment, he was convinced to stay by a senior who verbally promised a 55 percent raise in the next appraisal cycle. Trusting the assurance, he stayed on—only to receive a 37 percent hike.
What ultimately led him to quit, however, wasn’t the salary discrepancy. It was a disturbing exchange that followed.
The techie had recently gone through a whirlwind few months—getting engaged, married, and mourning the loss of his father. In a one-on-one meeting, his team lead said to him, “You should have resigned around your wedding. Do you even realise how much your marriage delayed the work? Because of your father’s situation and the leave you took, my timeline commitment couldn’t be fulfilled.”
Shocked by the insensitivity, he responded, “Please watch what you’re saying and think before you speak. Choose your next words carefully.”
He resigned soon after. Despite the challenges in the job market, he said he stood by his decision. “No job is worth staying in when empathy is completely missing,” he wrote.
The post drew strong reactions on social media, with users expressing both outrage and support. One commenter wrote, “I know how it is to be under a toxic person. You stood up for yourself, and we are proud of that.”
Another added, “Verbal promises mean nothing. But what your manager said is beyond shocking. Glad you walked away.”
Many others echoed similar sentiments, sharing their own stories of toxic workplaces and unkept promises in the corporate world.