‘It feels like torture’: Indian woman’s work-from-home job interview experience shocks social media, reveals unusual webcam policy

Remote work was supposed to make professional life easier. For many employees, working from home became a symbol of flexibility, comfort, and freedom from strict office routines. However, a viral conversation on social media is now prompting many people to question whether remote jobs are becoming more controlling than initially expected.

An Indian woman recently grabbed attention online after she shared why she turned down a work-from-home job opportunity. Her experience has now triggered a wider debate around employee monitoring, workplace privacy, and how far companies should go to track productivity in remote setups.

The woman, Gurleen, said she was informed during her interview that employees would need to keep their webcams on during work hours. Along with that, the company would reportedly capture screenshots of employees’ systems every 10 minutes to monitor work activity.

The policy did not sit well with her, and soon after she shared her experience online, the video started gaining traction across social media platforms.

Woman opens up about interview experience

In the viral clip, Gurleen explained that the interview process was going smoothly until the company discussed its employee tracking rules for the work-from-home role.

“I recently gave a job interview, and one of their policies is just stuck in my head. It was all going well. There is a work-from-home role in which they wanted to keep track of our work,” she said.

She also shared why the policy felt uncomfortable to her.

“And on top of that, they will take your screenshots of work. Every 10 minutes, bro, I can't even sit still for 10 minutes. And work from home should be flexible. I understand that productivity and tracking efficiency are very important, but like this, it feels more like torture to me,” she added.

The video carried the caption, “Hiring Humans or Robots!?”

Social media users react to the viral video

The video quickly sparked discussion online, with many users sharing mixed opinions on employee monitoring in remote jobs.

Several people supported Gurleen and said that such constant tracking can create stress and make employees feel uncomfortable while working from home. Some users also felt that remote jobs should focus more on flexibility and trust instead of continuous surveillance.

At the same time, others defended the use of monitoring tools by companies. According to them, organizations use such systems to maintain accountability and ensure work is being done properly in remote setups.
Disclaimer: This article is based on information circulating on social media and user-generated content. The Times of India has not independently verified the claims made in the viral video. Thumb image: Instagram/Canva