A former fresher has shared a startling experience of workplace misinterpretation during a virtual meeting amid the COVID-19 work-from-home period. The employee, who joined a mid-range company with a batch of around 10 freshers, recounted on Reddit, how a simple smile during an online session led to severe overreaction from a senior executive. The post was titled, ‘Almost got fired for smiling.’
Senior Executive Misinterprets a Smile
In the introductory call, a senior manager, described as initially friendly and humorous, joined to interact with the new hires. During the session, the employee said, “hi”, and smiled at a joke directed at a colleague.
“xyz why are you smiling,” the executive reportedly asked. The employee responded calmly: “nothing sir. All good.” The interaction ended there, seemingly uneventful.
Months Later, Tension Surfaces
Six months after the incident, the employee learned from colleagues that the senior executive had felt insulted by the smile. According to the account, the executive allegedly requested feedback about him and even suggested termination, claiming he had been lying on a bed during the Zoom call — a misinterpretation caused by the low camera angle of her gaming laptop.
Colleagues and the manager, who had become trusted allies, reportedly intervened to support the employee. “They were super nice guys who supported me and did not let me get any idea about this. They even told him that he was overreacting on this issue and I do good work and he had misinterpreted the interaction,” the user wrote.
The employee reflected on the incident as an early lesson in workplace dynamics. The user addedadded that leaving the organization ultimately turned out to be one of her best career decisions.
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