Bengaluru employee quits job without another offer, says 'miss by colleagues' but not the salary

In a revealing account shared on Reddit, a former employee of a reputed life sciences organization in Bengaluru opened up about the toxic work environment that ultimately forced him to resign. Despite holding a middle-management role and reporting directly to the CEO, he found himself undervalued, underpaid, and overburdened, even after making significant contributions to the company’s growth and reputation.

The individual, a Ph.D. graduate from one of India’s premier institutes, joined the company with high hopes. However, his enthusiasm was quickly diminished by what he described as a pervasive culture of disrespect, mismanagement, and apathy toward employee well-being. Despite securing crores of rupees in funding through government grants in the previous year, he was denied his full performance bonus—with no explanation offered for why he received less than 75% of what was promised.

Compounding the issue was a hostile HR department, led by an individual who reportedly dismissed and humiliated employees publicly for asking basic questions. This created a culture where open dialogue and respectful discourse were impossible, leaving employees demoralized and silenced.

Adding to his frustration, the company expected him to make official purchases using his personal credit card, promising reimbursement later. Despite repeated requests, no provision was made for a corporate card or any sanctioned process, forcing him to shoulder unnecessary financial risks.

Work-life boundaries were consistently ignored. He recalled being made to work during personal travels—on flights, trains, and even during cab rides. The most distressing instance was being required to attend a meeting in the middle of a close family member’s wedding ceremony. These demands intruded on every aspect of his personal life.

In addition to his core responsibilities, he was given roles far beyond his job description, without any formal title or additional compensation. The lack of acknowledgment or fairness in task distribution led to the feeling that his skills were being exploited rather than recognized.

Morale within his team also suffered. Despite being composed of talented individuals, they were poorly compensated, which led to a steady stream of resignations. Rather than hiring replacements, the company simply redistributed the workload among the remaining employees, worsening burnout and frustration.

Even senior leadership contributed to the chaos. The CEO was known for skipping scheduled meetings and making staff wait hours for brief conversations. Important presentations and meetings were often handled in an unprofessional, last-minute fashion, exposing the company’s lack of planning and seriousness.

At one point, he was falsely accused of misconduct and summoned before an investigation committee. Although he was exonerated, the individual who made the baseless accusation faced no consequences, highlighting a lack of accountability within the organization.

With annual salary hikes consistently under 10% and the rising cost of living in Bengaluru, financial stress only intensified. Eventually, with some savings to fall back on, he chose to resign—without another offer in hand. While he fondly remembered his supportive and talented colleagues, the toxic environment left him with no choice but to walk away in search of a healthier, more respectful workplace.