A Reddit post describing subtle workplace retaliation after declining an off-hours meeting has sparked a wider conversation on how professional boundaries are often blurred in corporate offices, particularly in high-pressure environments such as Gurugram.
Shared on the r/Indianworkplace forum, the post was written by a corporate employee working out of Gurugram’s commercial hub. The writer described an office culture that publicly promoted work-life balance but quietly rewarded long hours and personal access to managers. According to the account, the employee’s manager embodied a hustle-driven corporate style, frequently staying late and framing endurance as a measure of commitment.
The discomfort, the post noted, did not begin with anything explicit. It started with informal calls late in the evening that were neither urgent nor documented. Over time, the manager’s remarks became increasingly personal, coupled with subtle pressure to socialise beyond work hours. Declining after-office drinking sessions or leaving the office earlier than others reportedly drew silent disapproval.
The employee wrote that extended work hours often turned into informal conversations in office pantries, where professional discussions blurred into personal topics. These interactions were consistently positioned as guidance or mentorship, even as they made the employee uneasy.
The situation reportedly worsened when the employee began disengaging. Requests for work-from-home were turned down, previously appreciated work faced repeated revisions, and interruptions during meetings became frequent. Matters escalated after the manager suggested meeting for coffee on a weekend to discuss career growth. The employee declined.
Soon after, the employee was removed from a key project. When questioned, the manager allegedly hinted that attitude mattered more than ability. A subsequent approach to HR did not lead to action, as there was no written proof. The employee was instead advised to manage boundaries better and avoid one-on-one interactions.
The post concluded with the employee documenting all communication and planning an exit. Responses from other users suggested the experience was far from isolated, with many pointing out how polite, undocumented behaviour often makes such situations difficult to prove, allowing power imbalances to persist quietly in corporate settings.