When bosses think the office is their home. Post on 'office addicts' hits a nerve with netizens

In today’s fast-paced professional world, workaholism is often disguised as dedication. But for those who value work-life balance, working with such colleagues can be deeply disheartening. This was precisely the sentiment behind a recent post on the Indian Workplace subreddit, where an employee vented about the all-consuming work culture fostered by certain coworkers.

He expressed his frustration with coworkers who seemingly had no life beyond the office. According to him, they stayed back long after official hours, even when there was little or nothing to do, just to appear industrious. Their refusal to embrace flexible options like working from home created a ripple effect, pulling others into their rigid routines. For those who cherished personal time, this was nothing short of exhausting.

These colleagues, he claimed, revolved their entire lives around office matters—whether it was clocking in early, indulging in workplace gossip, or clinging to colleagues for social interaction on weekends. Their social circles were limited to coworkers, and they often tried to blur the line between professional and personal time by organizing off-duty hangouts.

The situation became particularly toxic when such individuals held managerial positions. Instead of creating a healthy and motivating work environment, they fostered a culture of overwork, setting unrealistic expectations and discouraging any semblance of balance. “Let people live a little,” the poster pleaded, his words echoing the fatigue felt by many professionals who are constantly dragged into the unnecessary hustle fostered by others.

The post struck a chord with netizens, who poured in with similar stories. One user recounted how their head officer proudly claimed to reach the office at 7 AM and leave at 10 PM—despite being just three years away from retirement. What was meant as an example of commitment appeared, to many, as a cautionary tale of misplaced priorities.

Another person shared the troubling behavior of an unmarried manager who, due to loneliness at home, remained in the office for hours with no real reason. This manager would deliberately delay tasks and create a false sense of urgency to keep others working late with him. His dependence on company extended to personal habits as well—he took 15 to 20 cigarette breaks daily, seemingly as a distraction from his isolation.

In yet another account, a married manager used the office as a convenient escape from household responsibilities. He would stay back, claiming he wanted to avoid traffic and finish work late. His family, unaware of his motives, proudly touted his “dedication” to work, not realizing that he was using it as a way to dodge domestic duties. Unsurprisingly, he expected the same commitment from his subordinates, burdening them with his personal escape route.

In a world that increasingly blurs the line between work and life, these stories are stark reminders of the damage unchecked workaholism can do—not just to the individuals themselves, but to the culture and morale of an entire workplace.