A frustrated software professional from Bengaluru recently vented his concerns on the online forum Developers India, describing how his supervisor has been compelling him to return to the office despite the company’s official policy allowing permanent remote work.
The employee explained that his department had been following an indefinite work-from-home arrangement for the past year. Although the company’s headquarters are in Bengaluru, most employees only visit occasionally — either for specific meetings or when the need arises.
The individual revealed that he resides nearly 300 kilometers away from the city and typically travels to the office once every two months, primarily for leadership discussions or significant team gatherings.
However, his manager has recently started urging him to appear in person every week, citing reasons of team bonding and maintaining workplace culture. According to him, the supervisor has already persuaded three other colleagues — including one who lives even farther away — to comply, using that example to pressure the rest of the team.
Despite repeatedly explaining that frequent travel would be impractical and exhausting, the employee said his manager has remained firm, creating friction and growing unease between them. What once was a cordial working relationship has now become increasingly strained. The professional mentioned that he is contemplating escalating the issue to higher management but fears such an action might damage his rapport with teammates or affect his standing within the company.
Online Users Voice Frustration
The post drew a strong reaction from the Reddit community. One user questioned why so many Indian managers act this way, suggesting that their motivations should be studied. Another commenter pointed out that many supervisors push for in-office attendance because promotions and appraisals are often tied to transitioning teams from remote to on-site work.
They argued that even if employees perform exceptionally well from home, managers receive little recognition for their team’s success unless it is visible in person. Another protested that this was a form of " micromanagement."
A different user shared a similar experience, stating that their own team leader worked remotely yet refused to extend the same flexibility to subordinates, even demanding medical certificates for health-related work-from-home requests.
The commenter added that such leaders often justify in-office attendance under the pretext of improved productivity, even though actual performance depends more on individual efficiency than physical presence. Another Redditor aptly summarized the sentiment by noting that what managers label as team building often amounts to nothing more than micromanagement.
The employee explained that his department had been following an indefinite work-from-home arrangement for the past year. Although the company’s headquarters are in Bengaluru, most employees only visit occasionally — either for specific meetings or when the need arises.
The individual revealed that he resides nearly 300 kilometers away from the city and typically travels to the office once every two months, primarily for leadership discussions or significant team gatherings.
However, his manager has recently started urging him to appear in person every week, citing reasons of team bonding and maintaining workplace culture. According to him, the supervisor has already persuaded three other colleagues — including one who lives even farther away — to comply, using that example to pressure the rest of the team.
Despite repeatedly explaining that frequent travel would be impractical and exhausting, the employee said his manager has remained firm, creating friction and growing unease between them. What once was a cordial working relationship has now become increasingly strained. The professional mentioned that he is contemplating escalating the issue to higher management but fears such an action might damage his rapport with teammates or affect his standing within the company.
Online Users Voice Frustration
The post drew a strong reaction from the Reddit community. One user questioned why so many Indian managers act this way, suggesting that their motivations should be studied. Another commenter pointed out that many supervisors push for in-office attendance because promotions and appraisals are often tied to transitioning teams from remote to on-site work.
They argued that even if employees perform exceptionally well from home, managers receive little recognition for their team’s success unless it is visible in person. Another protested that this was a form of " micromanagement."
A different user shared a similar experience, stating that their own team leader worked remotely yet refused to extend the same flexibility to subordinates, even demanding medical certificates for health-related work-from-home requests.
The commenter added that such leaders often justify in-office attendance under the pretext of improved productivity, even though actual performance depends more on individual efficiency than physical presence. Another Redditor aptly summarized the sentiment by noting that what managers label as team building often amounts to nothing more than micromanagement.
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