The stark work culture differences between western companies and their Indian branches

It’s time to shed light on the glaring disparities in work culture between western companies and their branches in India. After interacting with many individuals here in Bangalore, I found the following aspects prevalent in Indian branches. Despite operating under the same brand name, the treatment of employees differs drastically. These inequities not only breed dissatisfaction but also raise an important question: why are Indian employees not treated the same as their western counterparts? 1. Policy Manuals and Corporate Colonization: Western offices emphasize employee-centric policies, fostering work-life balance and well-being. Indian branches, however, enforce rigid policies that prioritize extracting maximum work at the expense of employee health and happiness. This practice has been likened to corporate colonization, where Western companies leverage their Indian workforce as cost-efficient labor while denying them the same rights and benefits enjoyed by employees in their home countries. 2. Work Hours: In western offices, work hours are strictly regulated, and overtime is rare and compensated. Indian branches often disregard these norms, expecting employees to work long hours, including weekends, with no additional compensation. 3. WFH Disparity: Western branches widely accept remote work, allowing employees flexibility and trust. In Indian branches, even when remote work is permissible globally, employees are expected to report to the office, often without a justified reason. 4. Holidays and Festivals: Employees in western branches enjoy extended holidays for culturally significant events like Christmas and New Year, often spanning 15–20 days. Indian branches, in contrast, fail to provide even a single day off for Holi or other major Indian festivals. Furthermore, public holidays like Independence Day, Republic Day, or polling day are frequently ignored, preventing employees from celebrating or fulfilling civic duties. 5. Notice Periods and Micromanagement: Western employees have short notice periods, often limited to 15 days, enabling smooth transitions. In Indian branches, notice periods range from 60 to 90 days. During this period, employees are subjected to excessive micromanagement, with every task scrutinized to extract maximum output. Even a good manager, who might want to ease the burden, is often constrained by rigid and exploitative company policies. The Bigger Picture: The inequities within the same organization raise several questions about fairness and long-term sustainability: Personal Time & Productivity: Why are Indian employees denied the flexibility and benefits provided to their western counterparts? Better policies in India would improve mental health, productivity, and overall economic contributions. Stress and Fertility: The chronic stress faced by Indian employees impacts not just individuals but also national demographics, potentially leading to an aged economy within decades. Family and Relationships: Married working couples often lack quality time together due to excessive work hours and lack of flexibility. This leads to misunderstandings, strained relationships, and, in many cases, divorce. Talent Drain: These exploitative practices drive talented employees out of India, depriving the country of innovation and skill development. Economic Growth: Without equitable work culture reforms, India risks stifling its economic progress and will struggle to achieve middle-income country status. The disparity highlights systemic neglect. If the government can spearhead monumental initiatives like the grand construction of the Ram Mandir, shouldn't it also work towards protecting the dignity and rights of Indian employees by ensuring equal treatment under the same corporate banners? Lastly, I pray that even my worst enemy does not have to take up a corporate job in India. The system is inherently designed to extract maximum work from employees without any regulation on work hours or concern for their well-being. There are no forums where employees can openly share their grievances or seek practical solutions, and employers often lack any moral responsibility toward their staff. This broken system not only drains individuals but also discourages future talent from considering the corporate sector in India. What do you think? Should Indian employees demand better policies, or is leaving the only viable solution?