'Startups folks think they're God': Netizens fume after Reddit user claims being fired in 20 days for taking 'sutta' breaks, leaving on time and...

Imagine getting fired just for stepping out for a break or leaving the office on time.That’s exactly what a Reddit user has claimed happened to them at a Gurugram-based startup—just 20 days after joining.

The viral post, now making rounds on social media, has reignited discussions about work-life balance and toxic work culture in startups. The employee alleged that their employer accused them of having an “attitude problem” and not being “down to earth” within days of joining.

‘No groups, no sutta breaks’

In the now-viral Reddit post, the ex-employee recounted how they were discouraged from forming friendships at work. “Me and two other new joinees used to go for tea and smoke together sometimes, and suddenly, my employer had a problem with it. He told me, ‘Don’t create groups, it’s not good for the company.’”

The user also detailed how the employer took issue with them leaving on time. “He started having problems with me leaving at exactly 7 pm. ‘This is not good,’ he said. But my shift was over, and I had finished my work,” the post read.

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'Told to work from director's cabin'

The tipping point reportedly came when the employee was asked to shift to the director’s cabin. “On the 20th day, the director asked me to work from his cabin instead of my desk and said, ‘For some days, you’ll be working here only.’ Who does that? I still agreed, but at 7 pm, I was looking outside to check if my friend had left for our usual end-of-day tea break. The director got frustrated and asked HR to terminate me on the spot.”

According to the Reddit user, they have filed a complaint with the labour commissioner. They also alleged that the company recorded their termination discussion without consent while preventing them from doing the same. “When I tried to record, the director mocked me, saying, ‘Over smartness gayi nahi abhi?’”

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‘Toxic work culture’: Netizens react

The post has drawn strong reactions online, with many slamming the company for its allegedly toxic practices. One user wrote, "These people are seriously useless. Such people neither grow themselves nor let anyone else grow. Good riddance! Now find a better job with decent people."

Another commented, "Good riddance to bad rubbish."

A third user remarked, "These startup folks think they're God. Leave it, bro, you'll find a better place."

Another user chimed in, “Why work for a Lala company? NCR startups are the sh**.”

Sharing their own experience, a Redditor added, “This happened to me too. One startup fired a guy for making a WhatsApp group. Another expected me to work on Sundays while deliberately giving others a break. I quit when they wanted me to multitask. Now I’m in a BPO, earning better with less stress.”