Every working space has a different working environment and no matter if it’s Bollywood or your glass-walled five-storied office, some of them can have a toxic culture taking a toll on the physical and mental health of their employees.
But sadly, having 7-hour-long zoom calls and working 15 hours a day is glorified in India by some in the name of productivity and dedication. Not to forget the lauds and awards one gets for working way past their working hours.
Calling out this deep-rooted problematic way of working is a Twitter user Abhishek Srivastava who thinks that everyone has accepted this as breathing air.
In a thread of tweets, Srivastava asked for ways to normalize working within 8 hours strictly.
No matter how you spin this, one goes to an interview and is said 'you will have to work late' candidate has to accept this in compromise and have no other option. How to normalise working within 8 hours strictly? When will superiors and HR stop applauding people who sit late?
— Abhishek Srivastava (@sriabh) May 28, 2022
He rightly pointed out how us giving all our time and energy to our work will never let us have a work-life balance.
Then people talk of work life balance. Most people want to meet other than their co-workers.
— Abhishek Srivastava (@sriabh) May 28, 2022
Also, those saying, ‘work hard now and relax later’, please, take a break!
I had this in my system for long and I don't want lectures on this is your age to slog and rest of your life will be smooth and your stupid dumbfuck influencers talking of productivity advocating about toxic work culture.
— Abhishek Srivastava (@sriabh) May 28, 2022
Yes, we might earn some good bucks but it sure comes for a cost.
Ever imagined why your relationships at home and with your partner goes for a toss because of this? Imagine the time you put extra instead of earning that meagre 5% raise and that eye wash promotion. You buy that car and go to that lavish fine dining restaurant at the cost of?
— Abhishek Srivastava (@sriabh) May 28, 2022
Srivastava was also among those people who had this urge to do things at a faster pace than others but that pushed him towards chronic depression. Sharing about his experience, he penned:
more in need. Eventually it lead to my anger outburst and I was forced to leave but did anything change? Those people and the toxic work culture won! I am not saying I am the best and never made a mistake but where are we heading towards?
— Abhishek Srivastava (@sriabh) May 28, 2022
The insensitivity of his bosses brought him to his saturation point.
But all was said by the management and yes 4 Vice Presidents were involved with my boss looking for an opportunity to THROW me out under the pretext of anger issues. You put a person under the sun and expect no consequences, I also had my saturation point and boiling point.
— Abhishek Srivastava (@sriabh) May 28, 2022
There were times when his anger would go out of control and he would become pesky and mean to some.
I was scared to let everyone know about my sacking and my outburst which lead to it but I really feel it should be out in the open now. Keep your culture, religion and your insecurities at home when you work. Y
— Abhishek Srivastava (@sriabh) May 28, 2022
Working late and ruining your mental health> getting out of control> becoming a liability to the company; you get into this toxic vicious circle by working yourself up.
You become a liability for your department and most importantly if you are supposed to be a leader of some individuals and they depend on you for their appraisals, you are ruining lives at your expense.
— Abhishek Srivastava (@sriabh) May 28, 2022
His episode made him realize that all of us are in this rat race that is taking a toll on us in every way possible. He concluded his thread by pleading to get away with this damaging culture.
I was really scared to tell the world and this is not a casual rant but I see this everywhere and this is plea to the entire system and everyone following this and thinks its normal as breathing air and drinking water.
— Abhishek Srivastava (@sriabh) May 28, 2022
Clearly, no one gives a damn about the employee when things go South even if he works his eyes out for the company. Everyone is dispensable. So is it really worth exhausting yourself for that little raise and a lot of trauma?