A software professional employed at a leading IT services firm recently shared his distressing experience of being subjected to intrusive and deeply personal questioning by his superiors. Posting on the Indian Workplace subreddit, the man, who is in his early thirties, explained that his interactions with both his direct manager and higher-level supervisor had begun to cross professional boundaries.
He revealed that during one-on-one meetings as well as casual conversations, his managers had started probing into aspects of his life that had no relevance to his job role or performance. The questions, he said, were not occasional but repeated enough to make him uneasy and concerned.
Among the topics raised were highly sensitive financial details, including his family’s combined monthly earnings and their overall wealth. The inquiries didn’t stop there. He was also asked about the cost of his home, his personal relationships with family members, and even his plans regarding marriage. These questions left him feeling uncomfortable, as they seemed inappropriate and unrelated to workplace discussions.
Confused and seeking guidance, he turned to the online community to ask whether others working in India’s IT services sector had faced similar situations. He admitted that he had briefly considered publicly calling out his managers on LinkedIn by tagging them and the company, but he was unsure whether that would be a wise move.
Looking for a more measured approach, he also asked if any human resources professionals could offer advice on how to handle such a situation without jeopardizing his job.
The post quickly attracted attention, with several users sharing their perspectives. Some suggested that the managers might be attempting to evaluate how dependent he is on his job, particularly whether he is the primary financial support for his family. Others speculated that such questions could be used to determine how much pressure or additional workload he might tolerate without pushing back. A few commenters advised him to avoid sharing accurate information and instead consider distancing himself from the situation or planning an exit.