Bengaluru techie tours Microsoft Paris office, shows employees leaving laptops and work by 4:30 pm

A Bengaluru-based software engineer working at Microsoft has gained attention online after sharing a humorous tour of the company’s Paris office on Instagram. The video, posted by Rahul Kaushik, who has been with Microsoft since July 2024, shows glimpses of the tech giant’s Paris workspace along with his observations on French culture, food habits and work-life balance in Europe.

Kaushik shared the clip with the caption “A day in the life of software Engineer at Microsoft Paris”. In the video, he jokes about his experience of exploring Paris, saying he felt relieved that he was not born in France due to his lack of knowledge of the French language. He also adds that the city’s beauty made him briefly consider an internal transfer to the Paris office.

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A post shared by Rahul Kaushik (@rahulariouss)

After entering the Microsoft Paris office, Kaushik first visits the cafeteria, where he humorously notes the limited vegetarian food options. He mentions that apart from items such as croissants and biscuits, there were few vegetarian choices, which made him rethink his earlier excitement.

The video also offers a look at the office interiors, including conference rooms, green indoor spaces and workstations with views of Paris landmarks. While showing his desk view, Kaushik jokes that what looked like a “bada bijli ka khamba” was actually the Eiffel Tower.

He further highlights work culture in Europe, pointing out that around 4:30 pm many desks were empty as employees had already left after logging off. He adds that, according to general workplace norms, employees are typically not expected to respond to work calls or messages after office hours.

Kaushik concludes the video with a reflection on work-life balance, saying that work is only a part of life and not life itself, emphasising the importance of separating professional and personal time.