A young professional recently shared an unsettling workplace experience after quitting a new job barely ten days into joining. Taking to the subreddit Indian Workplace, the Reddit user revealed he had accepted an offer from a Delhi-based company in Saket after completing a smooth, fully online hiring process through a popular job portal. All interview rounds were cleared virtually, an offer letter was issued, and the joining date was confirmed for January 20. On paper, everything appeared legitimate and professionally handled.
Early Red Flags Before Day One
Trouble began even before the first day at work. While trying to locate the office on Google Maps, the address appeared confusing and unreliable. Growing uneasy, the employee attempted to contact HR a day before joining to request a live location. Multiple calls over nearly two hours went unanswered. What felt especially unusual was the absence of proactive communication from HR, something most companies prioritize when onboarding a new hire. Eventually, a call placed to the official number listed on the offer letter was picked up by a salesperson, who hurriedly passed the phone to HR. Her explanation for missing repeated calls—that her phone had been left downstairs—felt careless but was initially brushed aside once the address was finally shared.
A Workplace That Didn’t Match Expectations
The reality of the office space was far from what the employee had imagined. Tucked inside a narrow lane accessible only by two-wheelers, the workplace operated out of a residential building converted into an office. Instead of structured departments, there was a single large hall with around ten desks, one small manager’s cabin, a meeting room, and a storage area below for clothing inventory. It felt less like a corporate setup and more like a repurposed home with laptops and chairs placed wherever space allowed.
Corporate Rules in a Non-Corporate Setting
Despite the informal infrastructure, HR conducted the induction as though the company were a large multinational firm. Strict attendance tracking, penalties for late arrivals, limited work-from-home options, rigid working hours, and alternate Saturdays off were explained with seriousness. The contrast between the formal policies and the cramped, residential environment felt jarring. The role offered was in social media marketing, yet HR proudly emphasized that everyone handled everything, claiming expertise across ecommerce, marketing, and even fashion design. Learning, according to her, happened automatically through loud discussions in the open hall. That moment triggered a strong sense of unease and gave the workplace a distinctly unstructured, owner-driven company atmosphere.
An Unwelcoming and Isolated Culture
Socially, the environment felt cold and distant. Introductions were brief and mechanical, with no welcoming gestures or casual interaction. Even after several days, the employee struggled to learn colleagues’ names. While silence itself was not the issue, the overall energy conveyed suspicion rather than neutrality, as though the new hire’s presence was being silently questioned.
A Mechanized Daily Routine
The daily schedule felt unusually rigid. At exactly 1 pm, employees shut their systems and rushed to the microwave, returning precisely at 1:50 pm when lunch break ended. The same pattern repeated at 6 pm, when everyone, including HR, immediately logged out and queued at the biometric machine. In three years of prior corporate experience, the employee had never witnessed such clock-driven behavior, which felt robotic rather than disciplined.
Confusion Around Role and Expectations
What proved most frustrating was the constant interference in work. The manager openly admitted to having little understanding of social media but demanded immediate sales results. Despite knowing that brand growth and digital strategy require time, the employee faced continuous pressure for conversions. Daily end-of-day reports had to be submitted to both the manager and a senior ecommerce specialist, neither of whom truly understood social media workflows. Still, within two days, a detailed monthly content plan and growth strategy were prepared.
Sudden Shift to Sales Pressure
By the fourth day, the job role shifted entirely. Responsibilities expanded to include direct sales, customer communication on messaging platforms, and revenue targets attributed personally to the employee. None of this had been mentioned during hiring. What was initially presented as creative independence turned into relentless sales monitoring.
A Toxic Team Dynamic
The design team further complicated matters. One designer repeatedly dictated captions and posting decisions in a controlling manner rather than collaborating. It later became clear that this behavior stemmed from her own reporting pressure, as she reused online templates and pushed the employee to post them to complete her daily tasks. This realization, around the sixth day, made it evident that the environment was fundamentally misaligned with professional ethics.
Disturbing Patterns and a Difficult Decision
In just ten days, the employee overheard alarming stories about previous staff members who had abruptly left, including one who reportedly disappeared without notice. There were also disturbing allegations involving false complaints and sudden terminations, adding to the sense of instability. Conversations with former colleagues helped clarify the final decision. Leaving early would keep background verification clean, while staying longer could complicate future prospects.
Choosing Self-Respect Over Survival
Ultimately, the employee chose to walk away, prioritizing dignity, growth, and long-term career health over immediate income. The decision was rooted in the belief that professional environments should value strategy, creativity, and mutual respect. Online reactions echoed this sentiment, with many agreeing that leaving early likely prevented long-term stress and professional suffocation.