'CEO texted me for leaving 10 minutes early': Gen Z employee's Reddit post sparks debate on toxic work culture

A Reddit post by a Gen Z employee has gone viral after they claimed that their CEO messaged them on WhatsApp for leaving work just 10 minutes before the scheduled end of the day.

The post, shared by Reddit user u/InformalViolinist748 on the r/TwentiesIndia subreddit, has sparked a conversation about workplace culture, micromanagement and expectations placed on young professionals entering the workforce.

The user also shared what they described as a screenshot of their WhatsApp conversation with the CEO.

'My CEO Texted Me For Leaving 10 Minutes Early'

Describing the incident, the Redditor wrote:

"My CEO Texted Me for Leaving 10 Minutes Early."

They went on to explain why the message caught them off guard.

"I left just 10 minutes early today, and now the CEO is texting me on WhatsApp. This is the same company that made me spend my own money on things for work and then took 17 days to reimburse me, even after I kept reminding them."

The employee also alleged that workplace rules appeared to be applied inconsistently.

"Meanwhile, the manager disappears for hour-long breaks and nobody says a word. Other people take 30-minute breaks too. I don't even take a proper break, and the one day I leave a little early, I get a call and a text."

Seeking opinions from fellow Reddit users, the poster asked:

"Guys, is this normal? I literally just joined full-time, and as a Gen Z, this feels so weird. Working life is way tougher than I expected."

The post also included another allegation about the employee's workplace.

"To make it worse, my boss keeps saying, 'Hire a social media intern even if it's unpaid or I'll make you create all the reels yourself and I am hr lol.'"

Livemint could not independently verify the claims made in the Reddit post.

Reddit Users Share Similar Experiences

The post, shared four days ago, has since attracted numerous comments, with several users saying they had encountered similar workplace situations.

One Reddit user wrote:

"I also did an unpaid internship for 4 months at the startup where I'm currently working full-time. My office hours are 10 AM to 7 PM, and I commute 16 km each way. They gave me permission to leave at 6 PM, but then said I'd have to come in early every morning to unlock the office. I was like, 'What?' and refused."

Another commenter advised the original poster to look for another opportunity.

"Get an outside offer and leave this toxic shit. Some attention seeking chela of his might have reported this to him."

A third user cautioned against spending personal money on office-related expenses.

"Never pay your own money for office stuff, OP Lesson learned I guess."

Another comment read:

"Typical Indore founder."

One user suggested focusing on gaining experience before moving on.

"Don't take company seriously if they focus more on your timings than your work. Just be there for getting the experience and as soon as you get good offer, leave it."