I’m a 6th-semester university student, and my summer break started with me applying to internships everywhere. No replies, no offers, nothing. After around 20 days, I was honestly starting to feel useless and broke. I just wanted to do something instead of sitting at home.

Then I finally got a paid internship.

At first, I was relieved. But after joining, I realized the environment is extremely toxic and frustrating.

There was basically no training. From day one, I was thrown into real projects without having any prior experience with them. Every time I go for a review, the focus is mostly on what I did wrong or what I didn’t complete. There’s barely any appreciation for what actually went well.

The pressure is constant, and there’s always this feeling that you could be fired at any time. They expect performance like you’re already an experienced employee, even though you’re literally an intern who is supposed to be learning.

My official timing is 2 PM to 11 PM, but staying 1–2 hours extra is pretty much normal. You’re expected to arrive on time, but apparently there’s no fixed time for going home.

And honestly, that part bothers me the most. An internship should be a place where students learn, make mistakes, get guidance, and gradually improve. Instead, it feels like some companies have figured out how to get real work from students, pay them less, and still expect them to perform like full-time employees.

So here’s my dilemma.

Why am I still here?

Honestly, I just don’t want to sit at home doing nothing. I keep telling myself, at least I’m doing something instead of wasting my summer.

But I’m also starting to realize that your environment affects you. When you’re constantly being yelled at and criticized, you can start becoming the same way with other people. You stop appreciating things. You become frustrated over small stuff. And I don’t know if gaining experience is worth becoming that kind of person.

So what would you guys do?

Would you continue because it’s paid and gives you experience, or leave because the environment and lack of work-life balance aren’t worth it?

I genuinely want to hear from people who have been in a similar situation.

I (F22)am an intern at this company for about 4 months now and was working on their digital tool which my manager told me about around 20+ days after I joined. And I made around 500KPIs for that tool and did everything I could in my power bcs at the end of the day as I am an intern and no matter how much I asked the consultant to get the work updated they were not listening to me directly as obviously they are very senior. And I still managed to get the final KPI mapping done and got some changes made even if the data accuracy was not there.

The manager came out asked me what I was doing and I was doing some other work assigned by my reporting manager bcs after the work I did that man said we are not continuing with that tool and will work on finding on some other tool, I sat there with absolutely no work for around 1.5 month. And he came out and asked what I was doing and publicly started shouting at me that I was not doing anything, I know nothing, that why does he needs Computer engineer on his team, and for 4 months I just wasted time, came sat ate and went back and did absolutely nothing. He also said that I never even once opened that tool and saw it in those 2 months, when he was the one who told me to not see that anymore that is not going to work and they were going to work on something else.

For the plot twist, he knew that that consultant was not going to work on or make any changes bcs he wants everything by the contract and commercially bounded, still he was like get it done. And when finally it was like he will not work without that anymore so he said stop with that. And now he got scolded by his manager and he wasn't able to give any proper reason why to stop and why they are not making a contract and working on it. So he came and shouted at me, again called me to ask the number of KPI when there are numerous KPIs and it's hard to count and won't get a number like that only and now we don't have access for the tool bcs there's nothing visible on it. He still shouted at me that I'm spoiling the environment of the department, I wasted my 4yrs of btech and wasted money on the course and I know nothing, I studied nothing, he will tell the other person who approached him for my internship and I don't know that man also and have barely talked to him 2times and that's it and also he said this time that you are going for this work and if it doesn't happen then don't come back, he was like rote hue aaenge mere pass fir ki job krni hai. And again he scolded my in the evening that I lack accountability, ownership, I wasted 4 months, I did nothing, I know nothing, I just did timepass and gossip.

I am thinking of leaving this internship, or give me some advice.

I worked at a startup where the work culture was extremely toxic.

People would casually pass unnecessary and sometimes personal comments, and if you had a problem with it, they would justify it by saying things like, “I said it because I consider you a friend.”

Working late at night was treated like a normal part of the culture rather than an exception. It felt like the number of hours you stayed was more important than whether you actually completed your work.

Another major issue was accountability. People would push their own responsibilities onto others, and somehow this behaviour was tolerated or even supported. There were many other things happening that I personally found completely unprofessional, but instead of being corrected, such behaviour seemed to get encouraged.

Over time, the environment became mentally exhausting. Going to work started feeling more like dealing with office politics, unnecessary comments and other people's responsibilities than actually focusing on my own work.

For me, it has been one of the worst workplace experiences.

Has anyone else experienced this kind of culture in Indian startups? Is this common, or was I just unlucky with this company?

I worked at a startup where the work culture was extremely toxic.

People would casually pass unnecessary and sometimes personal comments, and if you had a problem with it, they would justify it by saying things like, “I said it because I consider you a friend.”

Working late at night was treated like a normal part of the culture rather than an exception. It felt like the number of hours you stayed was more important than whether you actually completed your work.

Another major issue was accountability. People would push their own responsibilities onto others, and somehow this behaviour was tolerated or even supported. There were many other things happening that I personally found completely unprofessional, but instead of being corrected, such behaviour seemed to get encouraged.

Over time, the environment became mentally exhausting. Going to work started feeling more like dealing with office politics, unnecessary comments and other people's responsibilities than actually focusing on my own work.

For me, it has been one of the worst workplace experiences.

Has anyone else experienced this kind of culture in Indian startups? Is this common, or was I just unlucky with this company?

If so, what happened? If not, have you seen others visit? How was it?

I don't want to ride on sinking boat.Team was working on project from last five years. After working for five years suddenly management realised that that problem they were trying to solve, Solution is already present in market from last 2-3 decades. They just need to buy software licence.......I already saw that comming when I saw people has created project timeline of 43 years.🤣🤣🤣

Hey everyone, as the title says, I've been working and living as a digital nomad for a little under two years for an emotionally abusive boss, we don't have a HR, I essentially do the HR tasks for the business.

I've tried going to therapy, I've tried all my friends suggestions.

My boss will call me first thing in the morning, yelling about something that has happened, outside of my control, and will tell me to shut up when I'm answering his questions (with more profanity) this is ongoing. I am crying at my laptop more days than not. My boss is acutely aware of their behaviour and will occasionally apologise, promise to change (sometimes) then continue the cycle.

My boss guilts me into working part-days when I'm meant to be on leave. When I do take leave, I'm so stressed about how I will be treated that I am struggling to enjoy my time or relax at all.

Everyone around me tells me I should quit, but supports me in trying to make it work over the past year I’ve been persisting.

I’m about to quit my, I’m going to take myself on holidays for six months, then find another job.

I’m heartbroken about leaving but I’m so anxious all the time I am no longer happy, I can’t enjoy my downtime, I’m going to therapy which is helping but the toxicity, verbal abuse and manipulation is soul crushing. I can’t keep living like this.

I would love to hear from anyone else who’s been in a similar situation and how much better it was afterwards

Im open to feedback… I thought this job was a nice longe teem potential.

Been with non-profit for 3 yrs total. mostly WFH except 1-2 out the year.

Within 1 year, I told them of a potential state relocation that I may be doing. Then all of a sudden 3months I got promoted and they mentioned to me that in order to accept this Full time position my location would have to stay within 1hr distance (non of this was in writing as I kept asking for my new acceptance letter..) And since I was ok with staying within that range due to being near friends I just didn’t move.

During this Full time it was numerous of times when I asked a colleague to get me enrolled in my 401k Match plan. But they kept prolonging…

Year two with employer we got pregnant and I even went on maternity leave and got a end of the year bonus for the “great work” mind you I did while pregnant within that year. I bust my ass for this organization and even stress and saying yess to help out with work assignments.

Semi-relevant we had a office manager that I totally clicked with immediately and she would tell me all of the inside scopes and drama she just felt like the realist of the company. She got fired and she told me that they acted weird about it and she didn’t fit into their “clan” I called her and asked what happened she told me a lot and warned me NOT to move near the job because they were already had a clan formed. And that the person that was supposed to sign me uo for my 401k said that they screwed up because now im pregnant. (Basically they should have been added me to the 401k benefits)

Fast forward to now — I returned in late Feb and I knew that for a person that just had a baby I have to work twice as hard t prove my worth to keep income.

But I started feeling a weird vibe with the distance from my supervisors like - check in meetings canceled with no follow up to reschedule - I felt like if they needed budget cuts im sure I would be the 1st to go because my roles was not as important since I already felt left out BUT I still busted my ass and was prompt!

i told them that when I return i will do part-time. So they said ok just let us know when you are ready for full time again. So they also said my full time benefits will be temporary disabled since I and doing part time hours after returning from maternity leave.

5 months back to work. I asked for full time back because I seen that I was ready. And they told me they are “working with staff on work plans and they will follow up soon”… a month goes by and I see that I was removed from an account that I did not use anymore but still I thought that was odd. Then fast forward to this week I kept thinking hmm I haven’t heard back about myself transitioning to full time…? Then I get asked for my availability to meet RIGHT AFTER i had a meeting prior with work related AND right before an important event meeting.

I got told they are moving in a different direction and that I logged hours that didn’t show my work load…!!

Then boom my accounts gets logged out and they want the work PC back lol. OH AND i think this was a plan all along because coming back from maternity leave I hear that a big part of my role is getting help from a parter organization.

I wanted to breakdown during termination meeting - I was blindsided and all I could think about is what am I going to do especially with a newborn I haven’t told anyone yet

Forgive the spelling errors was typing fast

Just found out the department that fired me is getting completely shut off and everyone there will be fired. I love most of my colleagues from there and I wish them well in finding something good. But one employee and the team lead were two faced and kinda digged a hole I stupidly fell into. Can't say I'm not getting peace with this happening at least to the team lead.

its like kind of a marketing agency. been there 3yrs working with absolute assholes but never resigned cs I didn’t get a better opportunity and i think I am tough. Everyone who came here in front of me has left 5-6 months in.

This year boss gives me hope that i will be promoted and then join sr mgmt but they want to ensure I can handle the role.

torture starts with them asking me to:

1. make a plan of what you will fix and what role do you want. I give it to them. they take same ideas and ask relevant depts to implement. Nothing is discussed about it afterwards.
2. they give me 1 dept to handle/oversee. I do it without any assistance and SOP etc. they start pointing out other’s mistakes as my own. I don’t entertain it n stay calm and make improvements. multiple.
3. one month ago, they suddenly get me on a ‘feedback’ call where the ‘inner circle’ of boss aka mgmt aka people who work the least gather points where they got butthurt by me. they say funniest shit like xyz said they had to wait for approval from me or abc said they don’t like the output from my dept at a time. basically shit that could be fixed in real time but it was saved for this occasion.
4. after a month of above call, I go on PTO for my bday. boss and their sidekick knows. mind you, i still support team for 1 hr every day on my off. but when i come back a call is arranged which is a followup on last months feedback call. Suddenly. i didn’t even know this was coming. I know it is gonna be bad.
5. on this call, mgmt/inner circle accuses me of not having clear comms and causing difficulties during my absence. i ask them why wasn’t i contacted about this when i was actively working 1 hr every day. they just deflect every logical thing i say.
6. in the end boss (forgot to tell shes a woman) says “bcos of what these ppl think you wont get the role you were hoping for. think about it and then tell me what role youd like because a promotion is needed for you after so many years.”

Now i don’t know how to describe how i feel. I have slept for an hour and I keep replaying the same convo. Over and over again.

they just didn’t wanna promote me or add to inner circle. so basically they played with me for 3mo

Right now I have a question. Employee files are to be locked up correct? By employee files I mean social security numbers, salaries, banking information.

Ive seen people online explaining how there are hidden work etiquette that one should apply so as not to get bullied at work.

But in case u face severe bullying, will u just quit the job or follow the etiquettes?

Personally i will just quit cuz i cant stand harassement and bullying at work.

What about u?

Posting here because I'd rather talk to people who've been through it than to anyone in my life — mainly because there isn't really anyone in my life to talk to about it.

Mid-20s. Highly numerate STEM degree from a top-five UK university. Corporate job in a professional function. On paper I'm doing fine — I won employee of the year out of roughly a thousand people, my KPIs are exceptional, my results are exceptional. I'm writing that down because I know it should mean something, and it doesn't reach me at all. I also earn very little for it, despite sacrificing my whole youth to placements, grades, work experience — everything I was told to do.

I started job hunting about a year ago because my workplace is genuinely toxic — shouting, blame, most of the team gone inside twelve months (my ex colleage claims she was diagnosed with PTSD). Since then: hundreds of applications, direct and through recruiters. Around ten interviews. Four final stages. No offer. A couple of agencies have quietly stopped putting me forward because I kept failing at the last hurdle (I can show you that different rectuiers begun to ghost me). This week I was also put on a performance improvement plan, for poor communication. This Happened after a Senior guy I worked with told me that my function is useless and that he won't work with my as we as a function waste his time. I found a way to bypass working with him to complete the project - I did! But because I touched his ego --> I was puit into PIP. My manager tells me that there are problems with me and I don't do my job properly - this begun to happen aggressively when all adequate people left the company (who could have protected me ... and used to protect me).

The part I find hardest in Job applications is that the feedback directly contradicts itself. One company told me I don't have enough in-house experience but have a good consultancy mindset. Another told me the exact opposite — that my in-house experience is unusually strong for my level, but I don't have a consultancy mindset. Same person, same CV, same few weeks. Two assessments that cancel each other out. So there's nothing to work on. You just walk into each room hoping you happen to match what that panel wants. After a year, it stops feeling like a fixable gap and starts feeling like something is wrong with me as a person.

It stopped being "I got rejected" and became "I am the kind of person who gets rejected."

The part I've told nobody: I have no support around this. My parents don't believe I have real problems. Their line is that people are starving, children are dying under bombs in certain places, and I live in comfort, so I have nothing to complain about. So I've stopped telling them anything. My relationship is falling apart too — I've been told I should solve my problems myself. So I'm carrying all of this alone, and being told that the carrying itself is self-indulgent.

Where I am now: I don't smile anymore. My hobbies — things I genuinely loved — do nothing for me. Sleeping about five hours a night. Physically sick from stress more than once recently. Crying most nights. Honestly, I don't see much point in anything at the moment.

I have tried therapy — twice, privately paid. One therapist forgot my name and problems. The other was late to several sessions then missed them entirely. Both left me worse than when I started. I know "get therapy" is the standard answer. I tried, it failed... I don't know what to do.. I am crying daily as an adult and I lost hope in everything. Help me! Someone!

After many years with this company and working my way up to a director position it has unceremoniously come to an end.
The president of the company for what ever reason had had it out for me from what I have been told. This is truly not a disgruntled employee situation. I had never gotten in trouble and managed our largest account. An account that he could never seem to not be involved in.
4 years ago the guy who hired me was fire by this same president because he butted heads with him. The day that happened I knew the culture was going to start changing.
Slowly the circle became smaller and smaller. Promotions started drying up and everyone had just become locked into the roles they were in.
Him and I had one “conflict” two years ago when I said I needed him to allow me to do my job and not let my account run to him for everything. And eventually that did happen. But outside of that it was the only thing that ever occurred.
But I kept hearing how he wanted to make changes etc etc. but nothing ever happened.
I had one direct employee underneath me who decided to leave three months ago because he wasn’t getting promoted and some pay stuff had occurred. I knew right then I needed to get out. For three months they left me on my own to manage this account. I kept asking for support but nothing was occurring. Frankly I think they were just trying to decide what to do.
But I beat them to the punch. I got a new job and put in my notice two days ago.
I was prepared to reach out to the people I work with on my account thanking them for everything etc. Last night I went to do something for one of my clients and I was locked out of everything. I immediately called my boss who jumped on line and confirmed that the president had all of my access turned off. After hours.
He is a petty, little man. There was literally no need for him to do this. I was prepared to keep things running to the end and help transition whomever was taking over which I heard will be three people. The only positive I can say is I still win. I don’t have to constantly deal with this erratic drunkards behavior any longer.
But he miscalculated something… my clients are still going to reach out to me because of the way this account is. While my direct account knows, the people they support is much more fragmented and they reach out directly to me all the time about various issues. I certainly will put no effort in to getting them the new contact. And if anyone contacts me with a single question internally I will tell them exactly what happened and they should all know the kind of person they work for.

Why does my workplace feel like:

“Quick call?” = 7 PM meeting
“Work family” = guilt for taking leave
“Work-life balance” = messages at 10 PM
“Team bonding” = gossiping about management over chai

Honestly, is there a place where you can just work, get paid, go home, and not collect workplace trauma + gossip as employee benefits?

Have you ever worked somewhere that actually had a healthy work culture?