Russian in Bengaluru points out things considered ‘normal in Indian offices but abnormal abroad’

A Russian woman, living in Bengaluru, who has worked in India for the past 12 years has opened up about her observations concerning the office culture in India and abroad. She shared an Instagram post listing things that are considered “normal” in this country but would be seen as “abnormal” elsewhere.

She listed several points, some of which showed her colleagues’ compassion or caring side, and others hinted towards the toxic work culture that prevails in many Indian companies.

In her post, she discussed her co-workers checking on her, not leaving the office until the boss leaves, the long work commute, calls at 11 pm, and many other things.

How did social media react?

An individual posted, “I don’t think Indians are very good at investing. Unfortunately, knowledge about investments is a bit lacking, but I see the improvement, so it’s only a matter of time before it becomes common practice rather than a rarity these days.”

Another added, “That’s a sharp observation. I do enjoy the festival celebrations. When you are overworked, these are a few days that help you to balance that frustration. The late-night emails, messages and work calls do annoy you. When you come from the office, you need time to completely disconnect from work to spend some time on workouts, cooking, reading, or simply watching Netflix. Your brain needs that break. A lot of times, I missed that time on weekdays. Some offices even keep you occupied on weekends, too. The more you go up the ladder, the more pressure you feel. Not healthy. I really enjoyed the first few years of my career, where you do your work and come home after completing office hours. But that did not last long.”

A third remarked, “Very well captured. Although not healthy at all.” A fourth wrote, “Avoid direct no is super, just make excuses instead.”