The more we have a conversation about the toxic work culture in the country, the more we get disappointed. From people glorifying overworked and stressed employees to CEOs suggesting a human should work continuously for 18 hours, there’s hardly any boss or a company that thinks about the sanity and welfare of their employees.
Recently, a woman working at a marketing agency shared how she was questioned for not responding to work messages on WhatsApp while she was on a lunch break.
Taking to Twitter, she shared screengrabs of the angry messages she received when she failed to respond immediately to someone’s query.
When the employee cited being on a lunch break as the reason for her not responding to the query immediately, the person reprimanded her saying that ‘This isn’t a government office, it’s a marketing agency.’
Posting the screengrab of their conversation, the woman wrote:
“Marketing agencies have no lunch break guys. What if Batman needs us or the brand has ruptured a lung?!?! It’s basic.”
Marketing agencies have no lunch break guys. What if Batman needs us or the brand has ruptured a lung?!?! It's basic. pic.twitter.com/nUfcAJRO8i
— Meemi (@Meemikins) May 23, 2023
She also further shared that when she texted the same person about the content of something, they failed to respond even after four hours. Obviously, no one cares then.
Alleee
He hasn't responded to my text about the content for something for over 4 hours— Meemi (@Meemikins) May 23, 2023
This, however, is not something that happened only with this woman. Many others who also have experienced working in a marketing agency shared similar stories.
Ok so believe me when I say I was pulled out of washroom (yes, the f-ing loo) this one time when client sent an urgent feedback mail. The Account Manager, a woman employee, sent a male colleague to pull me out of the cubicle.
No. I am not kidding or making this up.
— Deepansh Duggal (@Deepansh75) May 24, 2023
Long back when I was in advertising, I was reprimanded for not responding to something supposedly urgent at 12am
— Sanaya (@sanaaya_88) May 24, 2023
Praying you land better working conditions!!
I left my first job in marketing because it was so mentally exhausting to work all day everyday, just like this
— ugh 🦈 (@biganushaenergy) May 24, 2023
I had a senior who did the same thing, told him I wouldn’t reply after work hours or during my breaks.
— Ahmad (@ahmaaado) May 23, 2023
Literally my prev workplace
— Gil (@trash_aest) May 24, 2023
It’s horrible but true. I have seen so many agencies talk down to their employees because they were on a lunch break. Proud of you to actually highlight this.
— Ayushee M (@MAyushee) May 24, 2023
Been there!!!
— Karan Rajput (@Karanr7395) May 24, 2023
Precisely why I got out of marketing in under 2 years. “Customer is god” is already an awful working principle. And when that customer base happens to be Indian, pataal is the limit.
— Rohit Raina (@RohittRaina) May 24, 2023
I would get a call if I hadn’t responded to an email within 5 minutes of receipt. The work culture at marketing agencies in India is exploitative beyond measure. I’ll die before I join one again.
— hufflepuffsupremacy (@HufflepuffLite) May 24, 2023
The way she was treated for being on lunch break got the worse of people online.
This is unfortunate. #Managers need to see beyond the #CTC sometimes.
A healthy #workculture is just as important as #profits for a business to #survive.
— Sanjiva Jha (@sanjivajha) May 24, 2023
Lmao, these marketing heads are under the misconception that that their work adds any tangible value – they need to get off their high horses fr
— Abhiroop Dey🇮🇳 (@Abhithfc) May 24, 2023
????
Can’t even eat peacefully or something 😑Absolutely Wild!
— Venkat (@TestTubeBaba) May 24, 2023
You gotta quit
— The Dark Jith Lord (@jithboi) May 23, 2023
some people just don’t get it. It’s infuriating
— curly fern (@curlyfern___) May 24, 2023
Still annoyed at this
not so strange hate for stranger haters who go on ‘This isn’t X’ tirades— BCBCBCBCBC (@shivam01anand) May 24, 2023
What a rude entitled client? I hope you answered back
— FreakOfTheFandoms (@FandomFreak_) May 24, 2023
It just sucks how clients and managers feel entitled and treat the employees as paid servants. Reprimanding someone for trying to eat in peace is just pathetic.