A strongly worded internal email allegedly sent by an employee of a US-based multinational company in Gurugram has gone viral on social media, reigniting conversations around burnout, toxic work culture and employee well-being in India's corporate sector.
The email, shared anonymously on Reddit and later circulated widely across social platforms, described years of overwork, emotional exhaustion and what the employee called a lack of recognition despite 'giving 120% effort' over several years.
'I want to share my experience after giving 120% of my effort for years and still ending up feeling used, ignored and undervalued,' the email began.
The employee claimed that hard work alone does not guarantee growth inside many organisations and argued that workplace relationships and internal connections often matter more than performance.
'You will never be rewarded for the work that you do; you will only be rewarded for the connections you make with your managers,' the email stated.
The individual also warned employees against sacrificing personal life for work, saying excessive overtime and constant pressure had caused deep personal regret.
'I worked on the day of my brother's wedding and my brother-in-law's wedding. I haven't visited my hometown in 2.5 years,' the employee wrote.
The email further revealed personal struggles, including mental health concerns and the loss of a baby last year. 'At one point, I felt so hopeless that I didn't know what else was left,' the message said.
According to the employee, attempts to raise concerns with management and HR allegedly did not lead to meaningful support. The writer claimed HR conversations were not confidential and said managers and directors were often included in discussions where the employee had expected privacy.
The email also accused management of overburdening employees and sidelining those who questioned existing processes or suggested new ideas.
'If you question the current working and suggest new ideas, you will be blocked,' the employee alleged.
The writer criticised the company's performance review system as well, claiming performance metrics and ratings had little impact on career growth or compensation.
'PMP discussions don't matter,' the email stated, adding that despite reportedly exceeding performance goals, the employee was eventually placed on a Performance Improvement Plan, or PIP.
The employee also described what was called a 'new trend' in corporate workplaces, alleging that managers extract knowledge from experienced employees, ask them to document processes and later reduce their importance within teams.
The email concluded with a broader message about work-life balance and personal priorities.
'Value your life, value your time, and set clear priorities. You can have a new job, but the moments you lose with your loved ones will never come back,' the writer said.
The post quickly gained traction online, with many users sharing similar workplace experiences and debating the realities of corporate culture in India.
'Some hard facts of corporate life are mentioned. The most important part is the one that talks about having family and family moments,' a user wrote.
'Your valuable feedback has been received and ignored,' another wrote.
'People will try to extract all the knowledge from you and leave you to dust,' a third expressed.
'Employees are just 'headcount' for them,' another added.