A Reddit post from the r/indianworkplace subreddit has triggered fresh debate around toxic management practices in India’s corporate sector, with many users calling the incident disturbing, humiliating, and deeply abusive.
The post describes an incident at a large IT company, hinted to be Infosys, where a team lead allegedly ordered IT and Workforce Management (WFM) to block an employee from entering his own office floor because he took one day of leave without approval.
According to the user who shared the account, the employee had applied for leave a week in advance. The team lead did not approve it, but the employee did not report to work anyway due to personal reasons, something the post says is common in corporate India, usually marked as unplanned leave or loss of pay.
The team lead reportedly instructed WFM and IT to revoke the employee’s access to the production floor. WFM staff then went around informing colleagues that if the employee showed up and tapped on the glass door of the floor, no one should let him in. Instead, they were told to immediately call the team lead or an SME.
Importantly, this was not a suspended or terminated employee. He was still on payroll, still an active employee, and had not received any formal communication. No email, no HR notice, no suspension letter, no show-cause notice.
The Reddit user clarified that the employee was not stopped at the main gate. He entered the building, his attendance was recorded, but he was publicly blocked from entering the specific floor where he worked. When he tapped on the glass door, an SME eventually let him in, after which the team lead pulled him into a closed room.
“I have worked in toxic environments before but this was next level. Physically blocking someone from entering their workplace while still keeping them on payroll is not normal. That feels like constructive termination and harassment rolled into one,” the user wrote.
Responding to the post, many users advised that the employee document everything, keep swiping his ID, and formally escalate the matter to HR, ethics committees, and senior leadership. Others pointed out that access logs, CCTV footage, and email trails could become crucial evidence. Several users also noted that such behaviour could expose the company to serious legal and compliance risks.
Physically blocking an employee from their workplace floor without due process is not normal, not professional, and not acceptable. Don’t you think?
Source – https://storypick.com/team-lead-blocks-employee-from-entering-office/