A Reddit post highlighting extreme workplace expectations has sparked a wider debate on work culture in India, with hundreds of users weighing in on long hours, weekend work and the growing pressure to stay constantly available.
The discussion began after a user shared their experience of being asked to work weekends and remain “alert for 24 hours”. Posting on the subreddit r/IndianWorkplace, the employee posed a blunt question: is it time to quit, or is this simply something professionals are expected to tolerate?
The user, who said they have over eight years of work experience, revealed that such demands have been in place since they joined the company a year ago. According to the post, working extended hours — sometimes up to 20 hours a day — along with responding to late-night messages and being available on weekends has become routine.
“Pretty much everything like working for 20 hours and availability on weekends are normalised here. Is it time to quit or is this a normal thing that should be ignored?” the user wrote.
The employee did not name the organisation, but the post quickly went viral, drawing responses from users who said the situation felt familiar. The reactions ranged from practical advice to outright frustration with what many described as toxic workplace expectations.
Several commenters urged the employee to consider leaving, arguing that such demands rarely improve once they become part of company culture.
“Want 24×7 availability? Pay for 24×7 availability,” one user wrote, echoing a widely shared sentiment about fair compensation.
Another user suggested pushing back directly: “Ask him if he will be available 24 hours as well. Keep messaging him during late hours when you’re working. If he doesn’t reply call and give him status updates.”