A surprising incident from the corporate world has once again highlighted how work pressure, trust issues, and toxic leadership are affecting employees across India. A Reddit post recently went viral after an employee shared how his team leader demanded full flight booking details — even though the leave had already been approved. The situation escalated to the point where the employee blocked the team leader on every platform.
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ToggleHow the Controversy Began
The employee posted his experience on r/IndianWorkplace, mentioning that he works in a well-known IT/BPO company. According to him, his holiday plan was approved a month earlier. He also reminded his team leader (TL) multiple times, but the TL kept delaying the formal email approval.
At the last moment, the TL tried to assign him a half-day shift on the day of his flight. Even after that, when the employee informed him that the flight timing had changed, the TL demanded full flight booking details — not just the timing or a screenshot, but the entire itinerary.
The employee found this demand intrusive and unnecessary, especially since his leave was already approved.
Employee Says Enough Is Enough
Feeling harassed, the employee decided to stop engaging. He blocked the TL on SMS, calls, and WhatsApp. He mentioned in his post that the TL kept calling and messaging, but he ignored everything.
The employee added that this wasn’t the first time the team leader behaved unreasonably. According to him, the TL had previously:
- Denied WFH due to personal annoyance
- Changed holiday schedules without notice
- Expected employees to follow strict rules even when unnecessary
- The final straw was when the TL asked for the employee’s boarding pass as proof.
A Larger Problem in Corporate India
This incident reflects a growing problem — increasing micromanagement and decreasing trust. Many employees feel they are being monitored like students rather than professionals. This constant pressure often leads to burnout, stress, and frustration.
Modern workplaces demand productivity, but many employees feel that trust and empathy are missing. This viral story resonated widely because thousands of workers experience similar treatment daily.
Screenshots Add Weight to the Story
To support his claims, the employee uploaded screenshots showing the TL demanding his booking details. He also posted proof of blocking the TL. These images made the story more believable and relatable, which is why it spread so quickly across social media.
Netizens React: Shock, Support, and Humour
People in the comment section expressed strong reactions. Many said they had faced similar behaviour from toxic supervisors. Some shared their own workplace horror stories, while others appreciated the employee for taking a stand.
A few comments also joked that workplaces are slowly becoming like surveillance zones where bosses want proof for everything.
The Bigger Question: Where Are Workplace Boundaries?
The viral post has reopened discussions about work-life balance and how much control managers should have over their team’s personal life. Most people agreed that asking for flight details after approving leave is crossing a boundary. Employees should not feel pressured to justify personal plans unless absolutely necessary.
Healthy work culture requires mutual trust — something many believe is disappearing.
Conclusion
This viral incident is more than just a personal dispute. It shows how toxic behaviour from team leaders can push employees to extreme steps like blocking communication entirely. The story highlights the urgent need for better people management, clearer workplace policies, and more trust-based systems. As corporate pressure continues to increase, finding a balance between responsibility and respect has become more important than ever.
FAQs
Why did the employee block his team leader?
He blocked the TL because he felt harassed after being repeatedly asked for unnecessary personal details despite already having approved leave.
What proof did the TL demand?
The TL wanted full flight booking details and later even asked for the employee’s boarding pass.
Where was this incident posted?
The incident was shared on Reddit, on the r/IndianWorkplace community.
Why did the post go viral?
It went viral because many employees related to the toxic work culture, micromanagement, and unreasonable demands from managers.
What does this incident highlight about corporate life?
It shows increasing mistrust, poor management practices, and the rising stress employees face in modern workplaces.