Toxic workplaces are more than just uncomfortable, as they can leave lasting emotional scars. While we often associate work stress with tight deadlines or heavy workloads, the real damage is often done through toxic behavior from those in positions of power.
Micromanagement, public humiliation, emotional manipulation, and a lack of psychological safety can push employees into distress, burnout, and even physical illness. Many employees often suffer in silence, being fearful about retaliation or feeling trapped due to financial commitments or lack of opportunities.
Recently, a story went viral on the Indian Workplace subreddit, where an employee shared their harrowing resignation experience. The post, shared in mid-April, has also gained much limelight because many people relate to such corporate life situations.
The resignation story that took a toxic turn
The Reddit user shared that they had submitted their resignation earlier in April, hoping for a standard exit process. But things took a dark turn when a colleague from the same team resigned shortly after, leading their manager into a spiral as instead of treating the resignations professionally, the manager accused them of “colluding behind her back” and assumed they were both heading to the same company. She reportedly claimed the dual resignation had “shattered her trust.”
Days passed without clarity on the formal exit process. When the employee followed up, the manager insisted on first “speaking to the team,” only to arrange a confusing meeting with an unrelated tech consultant who had no background in the team’s work. Despite expressing discomfort, the employee was pushed to attend and questioned about their reasons for leaving. When they explained the job had become repetitive with no growth opportunities, the consultant challenged every answer.
The employee was humiliated
The situation escalated quickly. After the awkward meeting, the employee was pulled into a private room with just the manager, who launched into a verbal tirade. According to the Reddit post, she yelled at them in front of others, pointed her finger in their face, and told them to “stay silent.” When the employee tried to leave the room, she shouted, “You’re fired. Leave your laptop and ID.”
This sudden firing came despite the employee already having resigned. Overwhelmed, they tossed their ID at the manager and walked out, but in return, the confrontation turned into a shouting match loud enough to echo through the office.
A colleague stepped in to support them and called out the manager’s toxic behavior. Suddenly, the manager changed her tone completely, calling the employee “like her child” and claiming she had no ill feelings. This sudden flip in the boss’s behaviour left everyone confused.
The dire situation led to panic attacks and HR intervention
The emotional toll was severe. The employee suffered a panic attack, vomited in the restroom, and was helped by a colleague. When another teammate reported the incident to HR, the department immediately got involved. The employee explained they no longer felt emotionally safe coming to work. HR apologised and promised to handle the exit smoothly.
But the troubles didn’t end there. On April 18, the manager again created confusion over the exit date and compensation, even denying prior agreements and questioning why the employee was transferring knowledge as asked. She even attempted to unofficially relieve the employee without informing HR.
Fortunately, another HR professional from the talent acquisition team stepped in, listened sympathetically, and escalated the matter. It was finally decided that the employee would be officially relieved in HR’s presence the following Monday.
Reactions from netizens
The Reddit post gained major traction, where the users expressed anger and support for the employee, one user wrote, “This is crazy stuff. First of all, I would like to congratulate you for keeping your ground... Probably you won't be facing your manager tomorrow. Get done with this mess asap. And best wishes for the next adventure. Keep a smile on your face (even if it's a fake one). More power to you.”
Another commented, “Can’t believe there are such managers who can throw tantrums... Maybe that is why they are increasingly taking it off on team members.”
Micromanagement, public humiliation, emotional manipulation, and a lack of psychological safety can push employees into distress, burnout, and even physical illness. Many employees often suffer in silence, being fearful about retaliation or feeling trapped due to financial commitments or lack of opportunities.
Recently, a story went viral on the Indian Workplace subreddit, where an employee shared their harrowing resignation experience. The post, shared in mid-April, has also gained much limelight because many people relate to such corporate life situations.
The resignation story that took a toxic turn
The Reddit user shared that they had submitted their resignation earlier in April, hoping for a standard exit process. But things took a dark turn when a colleague from the same team resigned shortly after, leading their manager into a spiral as instead of treating the resignations professionally, the manager accused them of “colluding behind her back” and assumed they were both heading to the same company. She reportedly claimed the dual resignation had “shattered her trust.”
Days passed without clarity on the formal exit process. When the employee followed up, the manager insisted on first “speaking to the team,” only to arrange a confusing meeting with an unrelated tech consultant who had no background in the team’s work. Despite expressing discomfort, the employee was pushed to attend and questioned about their reasons for leaving. When they explained the job had become repetitive with no growth opportunities, the consultant challenged every answer.
The employee was humiliated
The situation escalated quickly. After the awkward meeting, the employee was pulled into a private room with just the manager, who launched into a verbal tirade. According to the Reddit post, she yelled at them in front of others, pointed her finger in their face, and told them to “stay silent.” When the employee tried to leave the room, she shouted, “You’re fired. Leave your laptop and ID.”
This sudden firing came despite the employee already having resigned. Overwhelmed, they tossed their ID at the manager and walked out, but in return, the confrontation turned into a shouting match loud enough to echo through the office.
A colleague stepped in to support them and called out the manager’s toxic behavior. Suddenly, the manager changed her tone completely, calling the employee “like her child” and claiming she had no ill feelings. This sudden flip in the boss’s behaviour left everyone confused.
The dire situation led to panic attacks and HR intervention
The emotional toll was severe. The employee suffered a panic attack, vomited in the restroom, and was helped by a colleague. When another teammate reported the incident to HR, the department immediately got involved. The employee explained they no longer felt emotionally safe coming to work. HR apologised and promised to handle the exit smoothly.
But the troubles didn’t end there. On April 18, the manager again created confusion over the exit date and compensation, even denying prior agreements and questioning why the employee was transferring knowledge as asked. She even attempted to unofficially relieve the employee without informing HR.
Fortunately, another HR professional from the talent acquisition team stepped in, listened sympathetically, and escalated the matter. It was finally decided that the employee would be officially relieved in HR’s presence the following Monday.
Reactions from netizens
The Reddit post gained major traction, where the users expressed anger and support for the employee, one user wrote, “This is crazy stuff. First of all, I would like to congratulate you for keeping your ground... Probably you won't be facing your manager tomorrow. Get done with this mess asap. And best wishes for the next adventure. Keep a smile on your face (even if it's a fake one). More power to you.”
Another commented, “Can’t believe there are such managers who can throw tantrums... Maybe that is why they are increasingly taking it off on team members.”
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