‘Relocate to Delhi at the same LPA or lose the job’: Startup offer sparks debate over work culture

A Delhi-based startup CEO’s remarks about extreme working hours have triggered a wider online debate after a prospective employee, who is facing an imminent layoff, shared detailed concerns around work culture, compensation, and contractual clarity.

In a post on Reddit’s r/IndiaCareers forum, the employee said the startup founder bluntly told him that “people don’t sleep here” and that employees are expected to be available “24/7” to close orders.

According to the post, the CEO framed this as a reflection of “high Indian work standards,” adding that there was “no luxury time” at the company and that people “work very hard.”

“He messaged me on WhatsApp: "In India standard is high, people working 24h/24h...people not sleeping waiting to close order. Here no luxury time, we work very hard." Officially it's Mon-Sat 10-6, but yeah, he basically expects round-the-clock availability,” the post read.

The prospective employee, who said his last working day is December 31, explained that he has around 5 years of experience across sectors including Indian Railways, solar manufacturing, and vendor negotiations in China. At the time of the layoff, he was earning around Rs 11 lakh per annum while working remotely from Indore.

The new job, however, required him to relocate to Delhi on the same salary, despite the significantly higher cost of living.

Beyond work hours, the Reddit post also highlighted concerns around the nature of the role and how the candidate was treated during discussions. Despite having hands-on field experience with heavy machinery and international vendor negotiations, the employee said he was repeatedly spoken to “like a fresher” and told he was “too soft” for the machinery-focused environment, raising questions about respect and role fit.

The employment contract itself appeared vague, according to the post. Key details such as performance targets and probation terms were described as “not fixed yet,” with the CEO allegedly asking the candidate to join first and “figure it out later.”

The lack of clarity around expectations and evaluation metrics added to the candidate’s unease, especially given the company’s emphasis on aggressive performance.

While the salary matched his previous package, the employee said relocating from a work-from-home setup in Indore to Delhi would effectively result in a pay cut due to rent, commuting, and daily expenses.

“I told them I need at least 13LPA fixed to make it workable, but they're dragging their feet,” he added.

The post also underscored the emotional pressure of the situation, with the employee noting that he had “only days left on the job” and was weighing whether to accept a stressful role out of desperation or risk starting 2026 unemployed while continuing his job search from home.

Netizens reaction

The post sparked strong reactions from other users, many of whom warned against joining a company that openly glorifies burnout.

“If you have savings for at least the next three months, take your time and look for another job,” a user advised, calling the offer “a bad decision waiting to happen.”

“Totally agreed.. Even 13 won't be good for Delhi.. given all other parameters (AQI n all) Keep trying till your last day.. hopefully you might end up with another offer. If not, you'd be immediate joiner after 31st,” another wrote.

“Take your time off. Figure out some things. Keep applying & studying for interviews. God has better plans for you! All the best. Delhi ka AQI bhi check karna apply karte waqt,” a third user added.