‘Work On Weekends Or Extend Work Hours’: Viral Reddit Post On Manager’s Demand Sparks Outrage

A WhatsApp post sharing an exchange between a boss and his team members has triggered widespread online backlash over the manager's diktat to employees to work for extended hours.

In a post on Reddit, a user shared screenshots from a WhatsApp chat where the manager is asking employees to either work on weekends or stay back for additional hours on weekdays, without any extra payment.

The post, which went viral, sparked outrage among social media users and triggered comments about India's toxic work culture. In the screenshots, the boss asks employees to “prepare your mindset and come to work on Monday.” The post has garnered over 1,600 upvotes, in addition to many comments slamming the boss's ultimatum.

According to the post, several team members sent in polite denials when asked to work extra hours on the weekend.

“I have commitments and plans, so unable to work on Saturdays and Sundays,” an employee said.

Another justified their non-availability saying, “As I'm currently at my hometown without access to my work laptop, I won't be able to take up work this weekend or on any future weekends,” adding that they would make sure “the assigned volume is fully managed during the weekdays.”

Another staff member, who said they were at a wedding in Tamil Nadu's Arakkonam, apologised for a late response and said they would attempt to complete the work on their return.

The boss responded with frustration, saying, “This is not going to work. We need to plan something else. I will address the complete team on Monday.”

In a shift in tone, the manager told the team, “Either we have to report to the office on Saturdays and Sundays for a complete eight hours or need to extend the shift on a daily basis for 2 hours for the next three weeks."

https://www.reddit.com/r/IndianWorkplace/comments/1mgca0c/requirement_to_work_on_weekends/

The post led to sharp reactions from other users.

“They are literally stealing his labour. Refuse tactfully. If that doesn't work, refuse directly. Of course, he needs a new job soon,” read one of the comments.

Another user wrote, “Absolutely do not work a second on the weekend unless it's your own fault for not being able to in the week. Very slippery slope. Pretty sure none of us gets paid overtime for that.”

“Except for being on a rotation schedule or a production release activity, never commit to working weekends regularly unless it is your own startup or a venture where you have significant equity,” read another comment.

One user also termed the use of WhatsApp as an intentional choice to avoid communication tools such as Slack or Microsoft Teams. The response just stated, “Because it's unofficial.”