- Company shifted from fully remote to hybrid, requiring 115 km commute twice weekly
- Employee with 5 years experience questions job due to commute and unclear appraisal process
- In interviews, employee cites layoffs and long commute as reasons for job change
A company's decision to move from a fully remote setup to a hybrid work model has left one employee questioning whether it's time to switch jobs. Hired for a work-from-home role, the employee now has to travel about 115 km a day for two consecutive days every week to attend the office. The marketing specialist, who has five years of experience and has been with the company for over a year, also said there has been no clarity around the appraisal process. With both the policy change and uncertainty over career growth, the employee has started exploring other opportunities.
"Also, the role was initially fully remote, but the company has now introduced a hybrid work arrangement, which requires me to travel around 115 km per day for two consecutive days each week," the employee wrote.
Ahead of an interview for another fully remote position, the employee sought advice online on whether the increased commute would be an appropriate reason to explain the decision to change jobs. The employee also asked for suggestions on how to answer the question effectively during the interview.
See the post here:
2 days of commuting, 115 km/day. Is this a valid reason for job change?
by u/whoisthisonred in IndianWorkplace
Later, the employee shared an update, saying the interviewer asked the expected question about the reason for looking for a new role. In response, the employee cited ongoing layoffs at the current company and also mentioned that the newly opened office is about 60 km away. When asked why only remote roles were being considered, the employee clarified that the priority was not necessarily remote work but a workplace with a practical and manageable commute.
The discussion drew mixed reactions online. Some users pointed out that long commutes between Delhi, Gurugram and Greater Noida are common, adding that distant office locations remain a major concern for many employees. Others cautioned that even if the employee secured another remote position, there was no guarantee that the new employer would not eventually adopt a similar hybrid policy.
One user wrote, "I'm not discouraging you, it's the reality. When they claim that they are fully remote, you can ask if they can include a clause in offer letter that you will never be asked to work from office ever and asking you to work from office would be a breach of contract. If they say no then they are not sure because this ask is ridiculous and only companies committed to remote work will be willing to add that clause."
Another said, "Always cite career growth as the reason or something along the lines. Also, tell the company that you're being interviewed for that you're not just interested in them because of remote flexibility only, tell them you're genuinely interested in whatever they're doing."
A third user commented, "Just be careful how you frame it. Here's another way to look at it- 115 km twice a week works out to roughly 900 km a month. If this was a regular office job, that would be around a 40 km daily commute which honestly isn't that much."
