Woman regrets quitting London job after move to India: 'Boss culture is toxic, no respect for boundaries'

Three months into her new role in India, she realised the adjustment was proving difficult.

A woman aged 26 described how she had returned to India for professional reasons but soon found herself questioning that move after experiencing workplace behaviour she had not anticipated. She outlined her concerns in a detailed Reddit post titled, “Moved back to India for work, now I’m seriously regretting it.”

She explained that she had grown up largely in Singapore, completing most of her schooling there, and had always felt attached to India during her visits. “I did most of my schooling in Singapore, and India was always my favourite place to visit. I loved coming back so much that I even chose to do my undergrad here,” she wrote.

After graduation, she moved to London for her master’s degree and continued living there while employed. According to her post, she had enjoyed her role in the UK. “I loved my job, and for reasons completely unrelated to work (and honestly, pretty stupid in hindsight), I left,” she wrote. She added that leaving London, which she had admired since childhood, had been her “first mistake.”

She then moved back to Singapore and took up a position at an investment bank. Within six months, the team she belonged to was dissolved. As the organisation was shifting certain responsibilities to India, and since she had been working with colleagues based there, they suggested she consider relocating. She noted, “The pay was obviously lower, but the idea of being home felt comforting, so I said yes.”

Moved Back to India for Work, Now I’m Seriously Regretting It.
byu/punk0333 inIndianWorkplace

Three months into her new role in India, she realised the adjustment was proving difficult. She referred to the work environment as challenging and different from what she had been accustomed to abroad. “The boss culture is toxic, the politics drain me, and the work environment feels worlds apart from what I was used to in UK. I miss the openness, the structure, and the respect for boundaries. Here, I’m literally having to justify taking a day off,” she wrote.

She asked others whether her discomfort was temporary or whether she had made a misjudgement, adding, “Do you think I should apply back to UK & Europe?”

Her account prompted a wide response from Reddit users. One commenter advised, “That’s why whenever there’s a thing between emotions vs brain you should always choose brain. If you don’t have any aged parents, better to leave.” Another stated, “Yes go back. Your idea of India was a fantasised version. What you are seeing now is reality. Go back to Singapore or London.”

Others shared similar sentiments about their own experiences. A user wrote, “Go back if you can. For people like us, who’ve been fighting this culture since the first day of our work lives, it’s honestly exhausting.” Another person observed, “That’s Indian corporate for you… a truly heartbreaking experience. Don’t believe LinkedIn posts and social media platforms. It’s hell out there.”

Some participants in the discussion encouraged her to consider alternative employers within India rather than abandoning the country altogether. One person advised, “Not denying your experience at all, but you may also want to take a look at changing your employer depending on possibilities in your field, if you see yourself staying back in India. Not all workplaces are healthy but if you do end up in a good atmosphere, nothing feels greater than being home. It’s a toss of luck at the end of the day.”

Others responded with commentary and humour. A user wrote, “It’s always funny when people despite everyone telling them not to come back, come back and then regret it,” while another added, “Love it when people trying to be SRK from Swadesh gets their dose of reality check LOL.”