'After Working So Hard, You Only Get Humiliation': Techie Opens Up About Toxic 15-Hour Shifts In Indian Start-up

The post exposes the harsh reality of life at a startup, where employees are expected to work 12 to 15-hour shifts with little to no proper guidance or training

“My colleague and I have dropped the expectation of appreciation from him. Right now, we just expect not to get humiliation,” the techie wrote

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A young tech professional has ignited a firestorm on Reddit by sharing his experience of toxic workplace culture at his startup. In a post, he accused one of the company’s co-founders, who also serves as the tech lead, of verbal abuse and humiliation, recounting how the mistreatment left him in tears during a Google Meet session.

The post exposes the harsh reality of life at a startup, where employees are expected to work 12 to 15-hour shifts with little to no proper guidance or training.

“My colleague and I have dropped the expectation of appreciation from him. Right now, we just expect not to get humiliation,” the techie wrote. 

The breaking point came when the techie questioned the clarity of instructions for a project. Instead of addressing the concerns, the tech lead allegedly deflected responsibility, criticised the techie, and tried to justify his behaviour. “He was beating around bushes to make himself right and make me feel bad,” the techie recalled.

Emotionally overwhelmed, the techie broke down in tears. “I could not hold my tears and started crying. I was not in a mental zone to work, so I told him I’m taking leave after a few hours of Google Meet,” he shared in the post. Despite his attempt to handle the situation professionally—only seeking help after hours of independent problem-solving—the co-founder allegedly responded with dismissiveness and condescension.

The techie also recounted a previous instance of verbal abuse by the co-founder. He explained how the lack of training, coupled with the pressure to work with unfamiliar technologies, intensified his frustration. “After working so hard and trying, you get humiliation,” he lamented.

Reddit users rallied behind the techie, flooding the post with supportive comments and advice. One user wrote, “Frontend and UI/UX designers are most exploited in startups. Mostly indian ones. You’ll burn out to the level that you would want to do quit immediately and run away. The team never knows what they want and expectation are never met.”

In a follow-up update, the techie revealed he had a conversation with the co-founder in which he attempted to set boundaries. However, he also mentioned he is considering other job opportunities while remaining in his current role for now.

The post has sparked a broader conversation about toxic leadership in startups, shedding light on the emotional and mental toll of unchecked workplace mistreatment.