'I cried on Google Meet...': Indian techie exposes startup’s toxic 15-hour shift work culture

A young techie has sparked a firestorm on Reddit with his account of toxic workplace culture at his startup. In a post, he accused one of the company’s co-founders — who also acts as the tech lead— of verbal abuse and humiliation, detailing how the mistreatment left him in tears during a Google Meet session.

The post reveals the harsh realities of life at the startup, where employees endure 12- to 15-hour shifts without proper guidance or training. 

“My colleague and I have dropped the expectation of appreciation from him. Right now, we just expect not to get humiliation,” the techie wrote.

The breaking point came when he questioned the clarity of instructions for a project. Instead of addressing the concerns, the tech lead allegedly deflected responsibility, criticized the techie, and attempted to justify his behavior. “He was beating around bushes to make himself right and make me feel bad,” the techie recalled.

Overwhelmed and emotionally drained, the techie broke down. “I could not hold my tears and started crying. I was not in a mental zone to work, so I told him I’m taking leave after a few hours of Google Meet,” he shared in the post. Despite his efforts to approach the situation professionally—only seeking help after hours of independent problem-solving—the co-founder allegedly responded with dismissiveness and condescension.

The techie also shared an earlier instance of being verbally abused by the co-founder. He described how the lack of training and the pressure to work with unfamiliar technologies compounded his frustration. “After working so hard and trying, you get humiliation,” he lamented.

Reddit users rallied to his side, flooding the post with supportive comments and advice. “You’re allowed to feel whatever you feel… Crying is healthy,” one user wrote. Another urged him to prioritize his well-being: “Try to get out of that place. They’ll exploit you as much as you let them.”

In a follow-up update, the techie shared that he had a subsequent call with the co-founder where he tried to set boundaries. Meanwhile, he plans to explore other job opportunities while staying at his current role.

The post has sparked widespread conversations about toxic leadership in startups, shedding light on the emotional toll of unchecked workplace mistreatment.