In India, employees who regularly work late into the night and sacrifice their personal lives for their jobs are often seen as dedicated and hardworking. Those who stick to fixed office hours and maintain a clear work-life balance may sometimes be viewed as less committed.
However, workplace culture can be very different in other parts of the world. In countries such as the UK, consistently working beyond office hours is not always seen as a sign of dedication. Instead, it may raise concerns about work-life balance, time management, and employee wellbeing.
A similar cultural difference recently came to light when an Indian tech professional shared his experience online. According to his account, he was warned by a senior British colleague after responding to work emails outside his designated working hours. The colleague reportedly advised him not to make a habit of working beyond office time, emphasising the importance of maintaining a healthy balance between professional and personal life.
In his post on X, Software engineer Om recalled that his colleague once told him, "If you reply to my comments after 7 PM India time again, I won't review your PR for an entire week." The senior developer then jokingly added, "Should I talk to your manager?" accompanied by a light-hearted tone.
Reflecting on the incident, Om said he now deliberately waits until the next day before responding to work-related messages. While he admitted that he still occasionally works beyond office hours, the experience made him realise how seriously many professionals in the UK value work-life balance.
"He cared more about my work-life balance than I did, which was really sweet, to be honest," Om wrote.
I work with a senior developer from England.
— Om (@Om_Codes_) July 30, 2026
Because of the time difference, whenever he reviewed my PR and left comments, I'd reply immediately.
Even if it was 9 or 10 PM in India.
One day he noticed and asked me, .."Wait.. are you working beyond your work hours?"
I said,…
The post resonated with many social media users, sparking a broader conversation about the differences between workplace cultures in India and those in many European and other developed countries.
Sharing a similar experience, one user wrote, "I was told to shut my laptop by my Romanian colleague after I raised a PR on a Friday. I learnt that day: never work for an Indian company or manager."
Not everyone agreed, however. One user argued that such behaviour can sometimes be strategic rather than purely considerate. "Some customers actually manipulate. They have no stake in project management apart from meeting timelines. They do this to win hearts for some reason. The same customer has a different tone while talking to managers and may privately escalate issues while appearing caring in one-on-one interactions with juniors," the user commented.
Another user highlighted a common practice among UK-based firms, writing, "That's how UK-based companies work. They don't schedule calls with Indian employees beyond 6 PM IST, even when we request it because of daytime scheduling conflicts."
The discussion quickly gained traction, with many users sharing their own experiences of working with international teams. While some praised overseas employers for respecting personal time and promoting a healthy work-life balance, others cautioned against generalising workplace cultures based on individual experiences.
