A young professional was left stunned after receiving a harsh message from his manager for choosing to work remotely for a day. He recounted the experience on the subreddit Indian Workplace, where he uploaded a screenshot of a WhatsApp exchange between him and his superior. In the conversation, the manager reprimanded him for opting for work-from-home without proper intimation, accusing him of violating workplace norms and displaying what he termed as “unprofessional conduct.”
The employee clarified that he had twisted his leg and was unable to travel due to severe pain, which was why he decided to work from home instead of taking leave. However, his manager dismissed the explanation, curtly remarking that such behavior was not part of the company’s “culture.”
In his Reddit post, the employee expressed frustration over the incident and provided some context about his situation. He explained that he worked for a multinational startup where formal policies regarding work-from-home and leave procedures were never explicitly communicated. Previously, he used to report to a manager and would email them whenever he needed time off. However, after both his manager and HR representative resigned, he was required to communicate directly with the company’s CEO.
According to his post, he rarely availed work-from-home days — this was only the second time in seven months. Believing that a brief email would suffice, he sent a message simply notifying that he would be working from home that day, without elaborating on his injury. He felt that offering lengthy justifications for personal matters wasn’t necessary. However, to his dismay, his CEO responded with an unexpectedly stern message, which left him both embarrassed and unsettled.
The post quickly drew attention from Reddit users who flooded the thread with comments and advice. One user sarcastically suggested that when the employee eventually switched jobs, he should “ask for permission to resign” just to highlight the absurdity of his manager’s controlling attitude. Another commenter offered a more practical perspective, pointing out that people in senior positions often derive a sense of authority from approving such requests.
The commenter advised the employee to balance politeness with clarity in future communications — for example, to send a message like, “I’ve injured my leg and can’t commute, would it be okay if I worked from home tomorrow?” This way, the person in charge feels informed and included in the decision, while the employee still maintains professionalism and transparency.
Through the discussion, many users empathized with the employee’s situation, noting how rigid workplace hierarchies often clash with modern work cultures that value flexibility and trust.
The employee clarified that he had twisted his leg and was unable to travel due to severe pain, which was why he decided to work from home instead of taking leave. However, his manager dismissed the explanation, curtly remarking that such behavior was not part of the company’s “culture.”
In his Reddit post, the employee expressed frustration over the incident and provided some context about his situation. He explained that he worked for a multinational startup where formal policies regarding work-from-home and leave procedures were never explicitly communicated. Previously, he used to report to a manager and would email them whenever he needed time off. However, after both his manager and HR representative resigned, he was required to communicate directly with the company’s CEO.
According to his post, he rarely availed work-from-home days — this was only the second time in seven months. Believing that a brief email would suffice, he sent a message simply notifying that he would be working from home that day, without elaborating on his injury. He felt that offering lengthy justifications for personal matters wasn’t necessary. However, to his dismay, his CEO responded with an unexpectedly stern message, which left him both embarrassed and unsettled.
The post quickly drew attention from Reddit users who flooded the thread with comments and advice. One user sarcastically suggested that when the employee eventually switched jobs, he should “ask for permission to resign” just to highlight the absurdity of his manager’s controlling attitude. Another commenter offered a more practical perspective, pointing out that people in senior positions often derive a sense of authority from approving such requests.
The commenter advised the employee to balance politeness with clarity in future communications — for example, to send a message like, “I’ve injured my leg and can’t commute, would it be okay if I worked from home tomorrow?” This way, the person in charge feels informed and included in the decision, while the employee still maintains professionalism and transparency.
Through the discussion, many users empathized with the employee’s situation, noting how rigid workplace hierarchies often clash with modern work cultures that value flexibility and trust.
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