A mid-level people manager at a foreign financial services firm in Bengaluru has revealed what they say are the real reasons behind return-to-office (RTO) mandates.
Sharing insights on Reddit, the manager (@EuroDollarBond) claimed that WFO rules are not about teamwork or company culture, but a deliberate strategy to force staff to leave.
“Uncomfortable truths about WFO mandates, from a people manager in Bangalore,” the caption of the post reads.
Work stress fuels attrition:
According to the manager, during COVID, many companies overhired. Instead of doing mass layoffs, which can damage a company’s image and cost severance, firms are now using office mandates to make employees quit on their own.
“It’s calculated. It’s deliberate. And it’s working,” the manager wrote.
The manager described the effect on employees as severe. Many spend three to four hours daily commuting through Bengaluru traffic.
Exhaustion and burnout leave them with little time for family, personal growth, or applying for other jobs.
“I think that’s intentional, too. When you’re too tired to update your resume or prepare for interviews, you become trapped. You can’t switch jobs easily. The job market leverage shifts entirely to employers,” the manager wrote.
The manager expressed personal conflict in enforcing policies they do not believe in, often having “difficult conversations” with employees who simply want flexibility.
“I see talented people leaving not because they’re underperforming, but because they’re drowning.”
Reddit reacts:
Reddit users quickly reacted to the manager’s post, with many saying they could relate to the burnout and long commutes described.
Some called the WFO mandates “unfair” and “a deliberate way to push staff out,” while others shared their own experiences of exhaustion and stress caused by rigid work-from-office rules.
One of the users commented, “I am in the same position. Enforcing this s***y RTO policy, which I don’t believe in.”
A second user commented, “Hope you do realise that you are in that burnout too (torn between the 2 groups…. affecting you mentally…)”
“The companies want employees to leave, but also want to stay via this Burnout Trap. What?? How?? Why?? How low can these companies fall?” another user commented.