For many professionals who return to India after years of working abroad, reintegration into the workplace can be more challenging than expected. A recent discussion on Reddit highlights how adjusting to workplace culture back home often brings with it an uncomfortable reality: navigating office politics.
One returnee shared his frustrations after moving back to India six months ago and starting a new job. “Dealing with workplace politics after returning has been a pain!” he wrote, describing how colleagues deliberately withhold important information, avoid collaboration, and at times pass off his work as their own.
According to him, one co-worker regularly ignores messages, conveniently takes sick leaves or vacations just before deadlines, and leaves others to shoulder the workload. Another manipulates him into fixing his assigned issues, only to later present the solutions as his own. “When asked if someone has been helping him, he maintains silence in meetings,” the post read.
The professional, who spent nearly a decade in the United States, contrasted his experiences abroad with those in India. “During my 10 years in the US, I rarely came across any co-workers who tried to sabotage me. Well, two times actually — and in both cases, they were Indian co-workers,” he added, reflecting on the stark difference in workplace culture.
Calling it a “crabs in a bucket mentality,” he admitted that such experiences have made him question his long-term career path in India, even if moving back to the US isn’t part of his plans. “I am definitely not moving back to the US but such instances make me think if I should consider moving elsewhere,” he said.
The discussion struck a chord with other users, many of whom agreed that navigating office politics is one of the biggest hurdles for professionals returning from overseas work cultures. While not universal, stories like these shed light on the growing debate over workplace environments in India — where collaboration and professionalism are often compromised by internal rivalries.