Employees worldwide face challenges with weekend work, grappling to set boundaries amid pressure to extend their hours. A Delhi-based video editor shared their experience on Reddit, revealing their boss’s frustration after their refusal to work on weekends. They joined a marketing company expecting a relaxed culture, but reality differed, with increased demands and unclear briefs. After finishing a video by 7:30 pm, the editor received last-minute edits at 8:30 pm. Despite their clear stance on not working weekends, the boss reacted angrily. The post went viral, sparking discussions about workplace expectations and the need for boundaries in demanding environments.
Globally, employees grapple with the issue of weekend work while trying to establish firm boundaries, yet many feel compelled to work longer hours. A video editor from Delhi recently faced this dilemma and took to Reddit to share screenshots revealing their boss’s unexpected and frustrated response to their refusal to work over the weekend. Having joined a marketing firm in December with the anticipation of a laid-back work environment—an impression shaped by the company’s social media presence—the employee shared the exchange to illustrate the significant difference between the company’s perceived culture and the reality.
“The situation quickly changed with a flood of alterations and unclear briefs,” he stated. He mentioned that he completed a video editing task in just 55 minutes, leaving the office at 7:30 PM, which is the designated closing time. He noted that he received additional changes to the video around 8:30 PM.
“Need it for posting tomorrow afternoon, please get it down,” the boss was recorded saying in a screenshot from a WhatsApp Group chat shared by the video editor. “I won’t be able to take this up as I don’t work on weekends. I can share the project file. Let me know if that works,” the Reddit user responded.
The boss then instructed the video editor to send an email “saying exactly this” before requesting him to meet on Monday.
“What kind of a f*****g response is this?” the boss exclaimed after the editor agreed to the Monday meeting.
The Reddit user mentioned that he had been clear about his unwillingness to work on weekends, to which his boss replied, “Wow. Simply wow.”
The post quickly gained traction across social media platforms.
A user commented, “Of course, how can you not work on weekends? You’re a robot who needs to work 24/7.”
Another user remarked, “Been there; startup CEOs often act this way. I wish I could expose him and his team for their unprofessional and rude behavior. I left after 3 months. WORST EXPERIENCE EVER.”
“I’m glad that person stood up for themselves. More power to you, mate,” wrote a third user.