Rs.10,000+ gone in a month’: Pune techie highlights financial burden of mandatory office work during monsoons

Engineers urge IT companies to show empathy or offer travel allowance as commuting costs surge during heavy rains

A Pune-based techie recently sparked a vital conversation on LinkedIn, shedding light on the growing financial strain caused by mandatory work-from-office (WFO) policies during the monsoon season. In his heartfelt post, he appealed to IT companies, especially those based in metro cities, to show empathy towards employees navigating difficult commuting conditions.

“Not everyone is earning ₹1 lakh a month. There are folks making ₹27,000, trying to survive in cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune. Now imagine this: it’s pouring, cabs and autos are canceling, trains are packed, roads are flooded. And someone is spending ₹500+ daily just to get to the office. That’s over ₹10,000 a month gone,” the techie wrote, pointing to the silent financial burden many young professionals face.

He emphasized that the demand isn’t about luxury or entitlement but basic dignity and respect. “Almost half the salary. Just for travel. And for what? To open the same laptop, attend the same meetings, do the same work that could’ve been done from home.”

Balwadkar

The techie’s post struck a chord with thousands, especially those struggling to make it to the end of the month without emotional or financial breakdowns. He argued that while remote work may not be feasible for all roles, companies must at least support travel costs during adverse weather conditions.

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“Please stop calling everyone ‘family’ in company emails if you’re not going to treat them like one,” he added, calling for an honest reassessment of company policies in the face of real-world challenges.

The post has since gained significant traction online, with many echoing the call for either flexible work policies or tangible financial support during peak monsoon months.

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