Techie’s Post of Being Pressured to Travel 300 km Despite WFH Policy, Sparks Debate on Managerial Micromanagement
Techie's Post of Being Pressured to Travel 300 km Despite WFH Policy, Sparks Debate on Managerial Micromanagement
Employee’s ordeal highlights growing tensions between remote workers and office-first managers in India’s tech sector
A Bengaluru-based software engineer has sparked an online debate after revealing that his manager is pressuring him to return to the office every week, despite the company’s official work-from-home (WFH) policy. The incident, shared on the Reddit forum Developers India, has reignited discussions on micromanagement, managerial insecurity, and the changing dynamics of post-pandemic work culture in India’s IT sector.
The employee explained that his team has been following an indefinite remote-work arrangement for over a year. Although the company’s headquarters are in Bengaluru, most staff members only visit occasionally for critical meetings or leadership discussions. Residing nearly 300 kilometres away, the employee said he typically visits the office once every two months — a schedule that had worked well for both productivity and collaboration.
However, his manager has now begun insisting on weekly physical attendance, citing reasons of “team bonding” and “office culture.” The employee alleged that the manager has already convinced several team members — including one living even farther away — to comply, using that as leverage to pressure others. Despite repeatedly explaining that such frequent travel would be impractical, the manager has reportedly remained adamant, creating friction and unease within the team.
I have a WFH, but my Manager keep asking me to come to office for team building
byu/Content_Bass_6851 indevelopersIndia
The professional noted that he is considering escalating the matter to higher management but fears retaliation or strained relationships with colleagues.
The post quickly went viral, attracting hundreds of comments from frustrated tech workers who empathised with the situation. One user questioned, “Why do so many Indian managers behave like this? Someone should actually research this mindset.” Another commenter argued that such behaviour often stems from performance metrics tied to office attendance, with promotions and appraisals favouring managers who can transition teams back on-site.
Several users labelled the practice as micromanagement disguised as team building, noting that many managers equate visibility with productivity. One Redditor shared a similar experience, stating that their own supervisor worked remotely while demanding medical certificates from team members requesting WFH. Another pointed out that “true productivity depends on efficiency, not physical presence.”
As the debate unfolds, the episode underscores a broader clash between evolving employee expectations and traditional managerial attitudes, reflecting the growing pains of India’s hybrid work culture, where flexibility remains on paper, but not always in practice.
