A heartfelt Reddit post from an anonymous employee has struck a powerful chord with thousands, revealing the painful realities of the relentless pressure in India’s demanding corporate world. The post recounts the story of a man whose eagerly awaited promotion came at the expense of missing a meaningful evening planned by his girlfriend. It serves as a stark reminder that sometimes, climbing the ladder of success can leave deep emotional wounds and personal regrets in its wake.
The employee had just received a long-awaited promotion, a milestone both he and his girlfriend had eagerly anticipated. To celebrate, she had planned a quiet dinner, lovingly preparing his favourite dal makhani and tandoori rotis. He promised to be home by 8 PM.
But as the evening drew near, the all-too-familiar pattern unfolded once again. At 7:30 PM, his manager sent him a message on Slack about a “critical” bug that needed to be fixed before the end of the day for an important client in Mumbai.
What was supposed to be a special evening turned into another long all-nighter. He worked late into the night and finally messaged “Done” at 1:12 AM.
The celebration was left behind. The house sat in darkness, the dinner untouched, and the quiet felt overwhelming. “I said sorry and went to my room,” he wrote. “She didn’t say anything, but I could feel it. I failed her,” he added in the post.
Posted on May 29, the story quickly gained traction, receiving over 400 upvotes and numerous comments. It ignited a strong wave of empathy and frustration across the online community, with many professionals opening up about their struggles in similar situations.
Commenters voiced sharp criticism of India’s toxic work culture, where excessive work hours and the expectation of constant availability have become the norm, often sacrificing personal health and relationships in the process.
A user reads, “It’s the sad reality of life in Indian workplaces. We are just cheap labour where our personal lives don’t matter.”
Another voiced hope, saying “wake-up call” for workers and employers alike.
Some commenters offered advice, urging the employee to set clearer boundaries at work—some even suggested fabricating personal emergencies to push back against unreasonable demands. Others noted that his guilt revealed how much he genuinely cared for his partner, which is rare in a culture where emotional neglect often goes unnoticed.