Reddit Post on Indian Manager Forcing Weekend Work Raises Concerns About Overtime Abuse

A Reddit post alleging that an Indian manager ordered employees to either work full weekends or extend daily shifts by two hours has ignited widespread debate online about toxic workplace culture in India.

The viral post included a screenshot of a WhatsApp group chat, where the manager reportedly told employees to prepare their “mindset” for the extended work hours starting Monday.

📱 The Ultimatum on WhatsApp

In the screenshot, one employee expressed inability to work weekends, citing prior commitments. Other colleagues also declined weekend work.

The manager responded sharply:

“This is not going to work, we need to plan something else, I will address the complete team on Monday. Either we have to report to office on Saturday and Sundays for complete 8 hours or need to extend the shift on a daily basis for 2 hours for the next three weeks. Guys kindly prepare your mindset and come to work on Monday.”

The post, shared by an unverified Reddit user, quickly spread across platforms, though its authenticity has not been independently verified.

🌐 Social Media Reactions

The incident triggered strong responses:

♦ One user wrote: “They are literally stealing his labour. Refuse tactfully. If that doesn’t work, refuse directly. He needs a new job soon.”

♦ Another added: “Unless it’s a genuine emergency, I simply ignore such calls/messages. I even had to block a colleague once.”

♦ A third pointed out: “On Teams everything is logged. That’s why managers push for WhatsApp — no evidence if it goes to court.”

♦ A fourth cautioned: “Never work weekends unless it’s your mistake. It’s a slippery slope, and none of us get paid overtime.”

⏰ Overtime Abuse Allegations

In a separate case, another Redditor claiming to be a software developer alleged they were pressured into 20 hours of unpaid overtime each week.

“That’s 3 hours every weekday after work and my weekends completely gone. It’s unpaid and non-negotiable. If I want to grow here, I have to do this,” the employee wrote.

⚖️ The Bigger Issue

The viral story underscores growing concerns about unpaid overtime, employee exploitation, and toxic management practices in India’s IT and corporate sectors. Experts say employees often lack formal mechanisms to challenge such demands, leaving them vulnerable to burnout and work-life imbalance.