A Reddit post has gone viral after a woman shared her struggle with facing “cultural shock” at a traditional Indian firm after leaving a high-paying MNC job. She admitted she may have been “privileged and spoiled” by corporate perks.
The Redditor revealed they accepted an Indian company offer after being laid off from MNC and struggling through months of job hunting and financial stress.
“I was laid off in January over email and was searching for jobs for 3 months. I was extremely stressed having been recently married and had to pay off car EMIs. So after 3-4 rejections from interviews and 200+ applications, I received an offer from an Indian company. I did not think twice and accepted it after hearing all my ex-colleagues (who also got laid off) said the job market is very dry and more layoffs will happen.”
Cultural shock at Indian firm
Recalling life at the MNC, the employee said the company offered free meals, wellness benefits, team events, and flexible work-from-home options. “The MNC sent me a joining kit, had free health and wellness benefits, free meals, regular fun Friday sessions, even random team engagement sessions with the leadership! My calendar used to be full of events and invites and catchups. I worked from home most days and only went to office once a quarter. And when I did, I ate lunch with the entire team.”
The individual claimed their new work environment lacked social interaction, with most employees working silently and often eating lunch alone. “It’s been almost a month here at this Indian company and for 20 days I have only been finding corners to sit alone and eat lunch by myself. Everyday I come to the office at 10 AM, wish good morning to 2 senior managers and just sit…the entire day. Alone. There are about 20 people who come and sit in the same room but nobody talks to each other. They just sit and work. And burp. And sometimes ask each other work related questions. Then I see 2-3 people walk out for lunch, nobody has ever asked me to sit with them. The rest go out in groups of 2 or 3 and most sit alone as well.”
The Reddit user further claimed they were given an old 2016 laptop “covered in insect poo,” adding that despite the 25% salary hike, the job lacked the perks and flexibility of their MNC role.
Social media reactions
The post quickly went viral on Reddit, sparking debate over workplace culture and employee expectations.
One user said, “The benefits at MNC are just good to have. In the end, what matters is that you are getting a salary, and I did not see much of a red flag in an Indian company on the basis of what you described. For feeling alone, why don’t you take the opportunity to have better connections, invite people to lunch with you, etc., Also, leaving exactly at 6 is a dream come true for me.”
Another person wrote, “Apart from that laptop, things are fine, man. You’re not being bothered by anyone or any such fake celebrations or fake formalities. They’re all there to work, earn, and pay EMIs. It’s a blessing to have such an environment.”
“It’s my dream situation. I don’t like talking to anyone. Truly, one person’s hell is another’s paradise,” a third user said.