CEO spends Rs 2.7 lakh on luxury chair while employee with back pain is told there is 'no budget'

CEO gets Rs 3 lakh chair upgrade, employee with back pain denied support. (AI-generated representative image)

Many people spend long hours at desks, yet workplace comfort is often overlooked. A recent Reddit post has highlighted this issue, showing a clear contrast between executive perks and the basic needs of staff.

The employee shared that while the company’s founder displayed a luxury chair costing several times the employee’s monthly rent, the employee’s request for a simple ergonomic chair was denied. Posting on r/AntiWork under the title “CEO flexes $3K (Rs 2.7 lakh) luxury throne at all-hands while HR literally tells me my destroyed spine 'isn't in the budget',” the user described the impact on their health and the company’s response.

The post explained that the employee has worked at the company since 2019, mainly doing desk work for eight to ten hours a day. The user wrote, “My lower back has started totally protesting lately, and HR told me ergonomic upgrades are 'not in the budget'. I just sat there like… seriously?”

During a company-wide meeting, the founder showcased a new high-end chair. The employee clarified that there was no objection to executives spending their own money on luxury items. They added, “I might be wrong, but I'm not saying he can't buy nice stuff. It's his money. But how is there cash for that and somehow absolutely no money for a basic lumbar cushion or a decent chair for the rest of us?”

The employee also asked HR what counted as acceptable reimbursement for health-related equipment, but the answer was vague. The user added, “I asked what actually counts as reasonable reimbursement, and the answer was super vague. No clear policy at all. They said it just depends. And if you have a doctor's note, they might consider it… might.”

The employee said they have started looking for their own chair. They were thinking of buying one themselves, but felt uncomfortable paying for a workspace that the company did not seem to care about. The redditor added, “Honestly, I really do not get it. If a company expects full-time desk work, should they not provide basic ergonomic support? And I even explicitly said I wouldn't take the chair with me if I left. I would literally be replacing the old company chair out of my own pocket. HR still said no. What the actual hell.”

CEO flexes $3K luxury throne at all-hands while HR literally tells me my destroyed spine 'isn't in the budget'. by u/ansangoiam in antiwork

The discussion drew strong reactions. One commenter wrote, “The absolute dumbest thing you can do is trade your health for a company's bottom line. Your boss isn't going to pay for your physical therapy in 10 years. Do yourself a favour and invest in a real chair, bro. You’re worth it.”

Another suggested, “Anonymous Twitter post tagging the company and asking why the CEO has a new chair worth more than their employee’s rent, and why not extend the service to the office workers sitting on their ass 8 hours a day. See how they react.” A third added, “Get a doctor’s note, and they should be covering the whole cost of a proper chair. Talk to a lawyer if they want you to pay for it.”

Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content shared on social media. Moneycontrol has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.