What was meant to be a festive Diwali celebration turned into an unexpected job crisis for an employee after her company's founder announced that the business was shutting down with immediate effect.
"I started my treatment, was in hospital for three days, got water removed from my lungs, started a good diet and running post recovery and last two months, my report finally started getting better. After years, I felt like I am finally in a good place with work and my health. I had nothing to do with sales or BD but still I got three clients through my network and didnt take commission on it as well because I felt grateful just for the role and knew the company has slight crunch so my salary was enough," she wrote.
The announcement came during an office celebration, just three days before Diwali, leaving employees worried about their jobs and pending salaries.
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The woman shared her experience in a Reddit post, explaining how she had recently switched jobs to prioritise her health and was hoping for a fresh start. However, the sudden closure of her new company left her facing another uncertain phase in her career.
"My world collapsed. I haven't told my parents yet because I am afraid they will get me married if I move back home. I feel angry and hopeless and tired of one battle after another," she added.
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According to her post, she had spent around two-and-a-half years at what she described as her dream company.
During that time, she worked long hours, received a promotion and built a strong professional reputation. However, the demanding work schedule, coupled with severe air pollution in Gurugram, began affecting her health.
The founder invited us to DIwali party 3 days before Diwali and said the company is shutting down and now I am jobless
by u/workablecog in IndianWorkplace
She said she developed asthma and bronchitis and frequently suffered from fever, cold and cough. Irregular meals and a hectic work routine further added to her health problems. In December last year, she was hospitalised, after which her parents took her to AIIMS Delhi and PGI Lucknow for medical consultations.
Doctors advised her to make major lifestyle changes to prevent her condition from worsening. With a family history of lung cancer, she said she became increasingly concerned about her health and decided to leave her job.
Employee Loses New Job Just Before Diwali
After leaving her previous workplace, she joined a boutique production house as a brand strategist. The new role offered remote working, with occasional travel for client meetings and shoot supervision.
She also began treatment, improved her diet and gradually returned to running as her health recovered. According to her, her medical reports had started showing improvement over the previous two months.
However, her new beginning was short-lived.
The woman said the company had organised a small Diwali celebration, during which the founder distributed festive hampers among employees. After the celebrations, he spoke to employees individually and informed them that the company was shutting down because of financial difficulties.
The founder reportedly told employees that the business would close with immediate effect and that the company would not be able to pay their November salaries.
The announcement came just three days before Diwali, turning what was supposed to be a celebration into a difficult moment for the employees.
Reddit Users Offer Career Advice
Describing herself as exhausted after facing repeated setbacks, the woman turned to Reddit to seek advice on finding another job. She said she had 3.8 years of full-time work experience across strategy, growth, data analysis, product development, user behaviour analysis, operations management, campaign planning and execution, and community management.
She also had two years of internship experience in sales, marketing, customer relationship management and customer service.
Rather than relying only on conventional job portals such as LinkedIn and Naukri, she asked Reddit users for suggestions on finding other opportunities. She also sought advice on approaching professionals for referrals and improving her chances of receiving responses.
Several Reddit users responded with career suggestions and words of encouragement. One user pointed out that her varied professional experience could work in her favour and suggested exploring opportunities in cities such as Hyderabad and Bengaluru.
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The incident has once again brought attention to the uncertainty employees can face when companies shut down unexpectedly, particularly when such decisions are announced without prior notice.
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