‘Why have we glorified work on weekends?’ Reddit post by a Big 4 employee sparks debate on India’s work culture

A Reddit post by a Big 4 firm employee has set off a heated debate about long working hours and blurred boundaries at workplaces in India. The user claimed that despite being hired on a five-day schedule, they were asked to work on weekends to meet client deadlines, raising questions about work-life balance and employee rights. In the post, titled “Why have we glorified working on weekends?”, the employee said their manager made weekend work mandatory for the team, citing client importance and past practices within the organisation.

Employee pushes back, faces escalation

According to the post, the manager told the team that “client is important for us so you have to work on weekends” and added that earlier employees had followed the same approach.

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The user said they refused to accept the condition and made their position clear. “I said you can roll me off from this project,” the employee wrote. The situation reportedly escalated after this, with the manager taking the matter to senior leadership.

The post also questioned a broader mindset around overwork. “why have we Indians glorified this weekend working? I mean jo bhi ese managers hai why don't you just put a picture of client at your home and make your wife and kids pray to them everyday,” the user wrote.

Social media users share similar experiences

The post quickly drew attention online, with many users relating to the situation and sharing their own workplace stories.

“India is an employer's market. There's always someone willing to say yes. So its not about right or wrong. Managers push because they can, and it has worked for them before. The only thing that changes it is people drawing a line. If you trust your skills, stand firm. Worst case, you leave. Best case, they adjust. No one will protect your boundaries for you man,” one user wrote.

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Another comment read, “Bruh tell me about it, stand ur ground. This ends with our generation. We need a life and hobbies no wonder indians are always frustrated and have no personality outside of work and God.”

Debate shifts to planning and management pressure

Some users pointed fingers at management practices rather than employees. “Don’t think we have glorified it, this mostly stems from senior management not planning properly and overcommitting deadlines. Now if we tell them that, we will probably be put in PIP. After a point of time, it’s just better to move away because this client dickriding never ends and we are just resources and not human beings with life,” a third user commented.

Others compared work cultures across countries. “Worked in Indian Workplace, now working in kiwi workplace. I can no longer work under indian manager anymore. Indians come to New Zealand and tries to impose the same working culture here on their subordinate,” another user said.

A larger question on boundaries

The discussion has once again brought focus to an old but unresolved issue — how much is too much when it comes to work. While some see weekend work as a necessity in high-pressure roles, others argue that constant availability is becoming an unhealthy expectation.

The viral post has not just highlighted one employee’s experience but also reopened a familiar debate: whether saying “no” at work in India is still seen as a risk rather than a right.