Employee Requests Leave After Grandfather’s Death, Manager’s Insensitive Reply Goes Viral

Losing someone dear to you is always an incredibly difficult moment in anyone’s life, and hoping for leave from your workplace during such a time is completely valid. In moments of grief, a little empathy goes a long way. However, imagine receiving an insensitive reply from your manager instead of genuine understanding. That’s exactly what happened to one man, who shared the chat on a social media platform, sparking widespread discussion and debate.

Corporate work-life balance questioned after manager’s shocking reply to grieving employee

Maintaining a healthy work-life balance in the corporate world has become increasingly difficult. Time and again, distressed employees highlight how demanding and unforgiving the system can be. Many workers feel that no matter what they are going through personally, the pressure to “always be available” never truly stops.

Recently, one such incident surfaced on the social media platform Reddit, where an employee shared a shocking experience. His post was about how he wouldn’t be able to come to the office because his grandfather had passed away. Furthermore, this post, shared on the handle r/IndianWorkplace, was captioned,

“Do you have to sell your soul to be an Indian manager?”

This was a line that has sparked strong reactions online.

The employee even uploaded a screenshot of his WhatsApp chat. His message read,

“Morning, sir, my nana passed away last night, won’t be able to come to office today.”

But what stunned the internet was the manager’s response. Despite expressing sympathy, the manager immediately added work expectations,

“So sorry to hear that. Take the day off. But we are onboarding a couple of clients today. Can you stay on the induction call? Be active on WhatsApp as well and pitch in with the designers whenever needed?”

Reddit

This reply highlighted how some workplaces prioritise productivity over basic human empathy, reigniting discussions on the urgent need for better work-life balance and compassionate leadership.

Employee shares more context, revealing deeper workplace issues

The employee later provided more context about what led to his frustration. He explained,

“I’ve been working at this stupid agency for the past two years. They’ve changed my roles, assigned me work beyond scope and piled on work after firing multiple people because of ‘tight funds.’ But I never complained.”

He added that despite everything, he genuinely enjoyed his work and his team, which is why he continued adjusting and taking on extra responsibilities without raising objections.

However, this incident pushed him over the edge. Expressing his disappointment, he wrote,

“How is it my problem that you have no one else to take care of my work? Do managers forget that we’re people and not just machines churning out results?”

Feeling completely disrespected during a moment of personal loss, he concluded,

“I’m not even going to bother replying to them anymore.”

His words highlight a larger issue in workplaces where empathy often takes a backseat to constant productivity demands.

Have a look at the whole post

Do you have to sell your soul to be an Indian manager?
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Here is how netizens reacted to the whole incident

Netizens quickly chimed in, reacting to the incident in a variety of ways. Many expressed outrage at the manager’s lack of empathy, while others shared similar experiences from their own workplaces. Here are some worth-checking-out comments that capture the internet’s response.

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In the end, the incident highlights how urgently workplaces need to prioritise empathy and humanity over constant availability. No employee should have to choose between grieving and meeting unrealistic expectations. What are your thoughts? Do share via the comments below.