Good job. I would have answered it in a different way.  
 But yours is better for these founders

Software Engineer

Staff Engineer

Business Development Manager

In an ideal setup where everyone has a case off what needs to be done, 5 days are more than enough

Recruiter

Software Developer

I replied directly no because  Failure from your end in the managing the task with certain specific time line that is the core thing needs to be focused. No proper discipline in managing the task N...

I replied directly no because 
-Failure from your end in the managing the task with certain specific time line that is the core thing needs to be focused.
-No proper discipline in managing the task
-No compensation/recognition will be rewarded 
His face got completely changed after hearing this as he was expecting sugar coated answer.I have said this From my experience initially days of my careeer I thought as a Indian it's normal i worked ass of during Weeknds as well there is no time off in my first company and I was subjected to too much burnout and even after doing this the companies there is no result in Numbers.

Just gave an interview in a startup and the Founder is shamelessly asking will you work on the weekend?

Just gave an interview in a startup and the Founder is shamelessly asking will you work on the weekend?- Grapevine

Welcome to Indian Startups's Private Community

For context: Weekends are off. So just fri WFH. This is a Series B startup. I am not even asking for a leave but WFH for just 1 day. I joined recently. The only thing I did wrong was possibly informing a little too late.

Want to get opinion if I am overthinking or this classifies as toxic culture in startups where you are expected to push limits above and beyond regularly and sometimes weekends.

---

Is this toxic work culture or I am overthinking

Not a great culture, also you don’t have to give the actual reason, instead say due to some unavoidable work or family health reason you will need to wfh. Its a good way of seeing what kind of employer one is, when they also treat urgencies like that. Indians feel they need to give a detailed explanation as to why they deserve wfh or leave, whereas in international companies, you just have to inform the manager.

Senior Designer

Growth Manager

Welcome to Office Gossip's Private Community

So it’s barely been a month since I’ve joined this company and my manager has already started dumping his workload to me on weekends and at odd hours late in the night. 

Now he’s not a horrible person but I hate how normalised this culture is at this entire organisation. I get it if I’m a founder or working at a startup, I have to be prepared to hustle but not at a big corporation. 

And the irony is that I once needed something urgently from someone based in Europe from our team but my manager asked me to call him the next day since that person was out of his working hours while I was on a call with my manager at 1:18am…..

I’ve also noticed how casually he calls me everyday post 9pm to ask for updates or give a new task. My work hours end by 6pm. 

I really want to to establish certain boundaries, and not want to work on weekends. I’m a biker, and I’ve been cancelling all my biking plans on weekends just cause of this. How do I go about this without it negatively affecting my ratings/impressions etc.?? I have a life smh. 

(Writing this while I’m working on a Sunday)

work on weekends/late night

Senior Consultant

Welcome to Ask Grapeviners's Private Community

Hey guys, I have been working in a startup company for 3 weeks. I am a fresher and I am forced to work on weekends and even during holidays like 2nd of Oct. My Team lead always tells me to come to the office during weekends and he says it's an order. I am working in sales and the reason they gave is that we have to work as festivals are coming.

How should I tell my team lead and manager that I  am exhausted and can't work like that. I am totally new to the Job life and don't have any clue how to move forward. Please help!

Need help! Been working 7 days a week since 3 weeks.

Welcome to LinkedIn Cringe's Private Community

I'm surprised to see on the comment section that people actually support this load of crap. 

To any newbies or freshers entering tech this year, don't follow this advice. These CEOs exploit your time to gain revenue and when the time is not good they wouldn't think twice before considering layoffs. Just do your job and go home to your life and family. 

This advice only applies to entrepreneurs who have huge stakes in the company. Because if the company do well they get millions in returns as dividends. As an employee, even if you work for 25 hours you only get the same salary. 

Don't follow any so called self procalimed entrepreneurs advocating for the hustle culture. You hustle for your life, not for your boss or your job.

More push towards grind and sacrifice.

Analyst

Context: I work at a startup, it's a pretty chill work environment, very flexible, hybrid model. Everything is great.

Problem: They take flexible work hours too seriously, I have meetings at 10 PM on weekdays and almost every weekend there's some work which they need the next day in most cases but apparently have to keep the meeting on the weekend with no prior notice.

I mean, i like going to office twice a week around 11-12 and coming back around 7, wfh when I have a few meetings that day but is it normal to work on weekends? and after work hours?

P.S. I've only been in this company for a month and joined as a fresher.

Now that I've put it down, this is such a gen z problem lol

But what should I do?

working post work hours and on weekends?

Product Designer

I’ve been working in a startup since last 8 months and I am exhausted. The team size is around 30 (frontend and backend). Some weekends are working too and there’s nothing like timings. 
I am left with nothing but just work, no other activities and no social life. Is it same with everyone working at a startup? Curious to know
Ps - it is a work from office job!

Are all startup life is same?

Welcome to Software Engineers's Private Community

I have been at a company since 2.6 yrs as a founding engineer (joined here as a fresher). I am a graduate from IIT Delhi. I am paid well (50 LPA cash + decent stocks). The work culture of where I am is pretty amazing (5-6 hrs work, 5 days a week), WFH. 
Since I joined when the company was growing, I am  well respected. I would also go in length to say that  I don't expect the culture to be this good anywhere else. However it has been pretty boring lately, the work is very monotonous ( I am a backend engineer with pretty decent technical skills). I think I have little opportunity to grow here. 
What should I do ? 

PS: I got interview calls from various startups but most of them are just matching my salary but after doing some research I see that they are demanding lots of work (12 hrs, sometimes weekends included)

Suggestions for job change

meetings on sunday?

So I interviewed for a SaaS company serving US clients. I got selected after three rounds (basic email chat, built a project, technical coding round at last) and got selected. 

Finally, it was time to discuss salary and joining date with the CEO. He was impressed by the about section on my portfolio, where I mentioned that I like to go on treks, hikes, read books, lift weights, go on a run, etc. During our call he mentioned that everyone at the startup works 6-7days a week, 12hrs a day and asked if I'd be fine with it as I have a "happening life".

I said that I'm not used to it but I'll manage and work in appropriate working hours. He seemed to agree on it.

But he ghosted me after that, and when I pinged him in the email thread; he said he's not moving ahead with me because my other properties won't allow me to "work as much as other employees".

How am I supposed to react to this lol

I didn't get selected because... I have a happening life?

Glad, that CEO let you live for a better opportunity

Recently the CHRO of my company called me into a discussion on improving  WORK LIFE BALANCE.  Wow. I just cannot understand. Look at this. 
1. Most companies work 5 days a week. (Except retail operations). So you get 52 weeks x 2. 104 days. 
2. 30 days annual leav
3. 9 days statutory holidays. 
4. Operational holidays. 3. 
145 days of 365 days corporate people don’t come to office. And in a hybrid format even more. 
It is these corporate vultures who want work life Balance. How can u balance your life if u r unable to do it in 145 days. 
So Narayana murthy is right - work hard like 80% of india. Who have almost no weekly off. Just saying.

The BS about work life balance

Founder

hey guys, I'm interviewing at a startup currently and they are asking me if I can work 6 days a week for a couple of months initially till the Product goes live. 
how do I respond to this? I want to take the offer but the 6 day work week is what pulling me back from accepting the offer.

6 day work week normal at Startups?

It’ll never be for a couple of months only :)

Private Equity

Senior Associate

I was contacted by an HR for backend dev role. After asking all details about projects, company details, cctc and ectc. He asked "Are you comfortable working on weekends if there is any important work to be completed". 

1) Is it common in startups to work on weekends? 
2) Considering layoffs scenarios ongoing , is it worth moving from stable company to startup ? 
Note: This company is mid size startup working in hospitality and tourism

Need genuine opinion!

Currently working in a startup company 

Usually, I do my work in the given time, but due to some dependencies on me and after meetings on around 6-7PM some tasks are allocated to me that should be picked on the next day but due to "bhai plz Kar de" culture it is picked on the same which is not sometimes favorable and will cost around ending my day around 11 or 12 

Should this be embraced and how to tackle these things?

Should you embrace 'bhai - bhai' culture?

I used to take these requests and do them the same day out of good will. The ability to say no, comes with some experience. Give it 1 2 months you'll start saying no. It comes naturally and slowly

I had this doubt, let’s say team wants to go above and beyond work hours weekends to get shit done when it’s honestly not even required.

I do whatever is given within work hours and deliver! Things might take longer since I don’t slog my ass off. My concern is they might say I’m underperforming and who knows, might even fire me! Typical Indian company mentality.

How do you handle this situation without getting targeted ? So far I document everything that I’ve done and make sure there isn’t any place they can point fingers at! Looking for some pointers.

Handling not wanting to over work

Compiling a couple of ways people can understand a toxic founder from a distance, before they start working with them actively 
I've now met with a lot of them over the last couple of years, here are the ones that stand out the most to me: 

1) Narcissism: They'll love to have fame through random things. Stuff like Forbes 30u30 or some random award. Even if it means nothing. They'll show how great business is doing on social media, even when it may be nosediving. You'll never know things are messed up on the inside. 

2) Masochism: They're super likely to enjoy pain: be it messed up working hours, or bad health, or just really hard times. This almost allows them to thrive during adversity. This is usually coupled with sadism, they'll typically love that they can take pain well, but you cannot. 

3) Overemphasize on the carrot: In your first couple of meetings with them, once they like you, they will over emphasize on the benefits you will have if you work with them. They'll keep repeating how your career could skyrocket, or how you could be a star in other ways. This is also a typical red flag.

These are just 3 of the ones that I feel summarize what I have seen in known toxic founders. Happy to debate/know more if somebody else has had the lovely experience too :D

Traits of toxic founders

Product Manager

People are being forced to work on weekends in the name of "escalations". And instead of it being a request, it is an indirect threat. We are just mere freshers and do not know how to deal with this. How do we navigate this?

Thoughts on being forced to work on weekends?

Data engineer

My new manager at a new company works on weekends too. Comments in documents, sends mails and a bunch of other stuff. Sends mail at fucking 4 & 5 in the morning.

I feel pressured to work on weekends too because he is working. I'm already clocking 10 hour work days. How to deal with this situation?

About me - PM at startup.

Manager works on weekends

Stop it at the start. Don't put yourself out there, so they start considering your extra effort as normal or default.  
  
 Shut the laptop on Friday and open it only on Monday. Don't follow up on weekends which might become a habit and they expect you to respond on weekends. 
  
 Until they don't ask you, you don't respond. Also there could be multiple reasons why they prefer to work during certain times. 
  
 Once you break the boundary you have, there's no way getting it back again.

Just gave an interview in a startup and the Founder is shamelessly asking will you work on the weekend?

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