‘Leaving on time feels like a crime’: Bengaluru woman shocked after seeing the US office empty by evening

Work culture and daily office routines have once again become a major topic of discussion among working professionals in India. With more employees speaking openly about long working hours and late evening meetings, the debate around work-life balance is growing stronger on social media. In the middle of this ongoing discussion, a Bengaluru-based professional’s recent video has caught attention for her comparison between work life in India and the United States.A video shared by a Bengaluru woman has gone viral after she spoke about how her recent work trip to the US made her notice a very different style of office routine. Her experience has now led to a wider conversation online about how work schedules differ across countries.In her video, she described how the work culture in the US felt completely different from what she is used to in India, especially when it came to how early people finish work and leave the office.She said, “I think the Indian corporate mindset is so scre*** up. We are so used to working late and working more. I am in the US for a work trip, and I went to the office yesterday. I arrived around 9:30-10:00 am. At 4:30 pm, the entire floor was empty. I came under peer pressure and left the floor at 5:00 pm. And then I was free, like, seriously free.”She also spoke about how her usual work life in India is very different, where work hours often stretch late into the night and leave little time for personal life.She added, “After that, I went for a hike, I saw the sunset, and for the whole three hours, I kept thinking that I had time to do something after office. Whereas in India, my office day starts at 9:00 am, something like that, and I have meetings until 10:00 pm. Forget about a sunset or a walk; I don't get time to cook or eat dinner. Can this be fixed? I don't know.”The video was shared with a caption that questioned whether work pressure in Indian corporate environments is becoming more intense over time.The caption read, “Is this just me, or is the corporate environment really becoming hard now in India?”After the video went viral, several users shared their thoughts and personal experiences, adding to the ongoing discussion about work-life balance in India.One user wrote, “This is so true. In India, leaving on time feels like a crime.”Another user said, “Work-life balance is still treated like a luxury here.”A third user commented, “The problem is not work; the problem is the mindset that more hours mean more productivity.”Another user added, “Meetings after 7 pm should simply not be allowed unless it is an emergency.”Disclaimer: This article is based on a viral social media video and publicly available online reactions. The Times of India has not independently verified the claims, experiences, or statements shared in the video and comments referenced in the story.Thumb image: Instagram