An Indian professional working in the United States recently went on Reddit and shared a post regarding an uncomfortable experience he faced at work, inviting strong reactions from the Internet. The professional revealed that a senior American team member told him to “stop speaking in meetings” because he couldn’t understand his accent. The incident happened during a routine meeting where he had simply asked for a project update, which is part of his regular job.
The reddit user shared that he felt insulted and dismissed. “I’ve always made an effort to speak clearly and professionally. No one else has said anything like this before,” he wrote, adding that he has been working with the same client for over a year.
The post quickly gained attention on Reddit, especially among users familiar with multicultural work environments. Many supported the professional and called the colleague’s comment unprofessional and discriminatory.
One user, Vijay Vithal, shared his own experience dealing with strong accents in global teams. He said, “I have been in meetings with Russians, Vietnamese, etc., where I couldn’t understand a word. We used a shared Google Doc to write out questions and answers.” He added that people from different backgrounds often find ways to adapt and communicate. “So when an American says he cannot understand me, I assume he’s just facing the same challenge I did with others.”
Vithal also suggested a polite, professional response like sending the colleague an email asking what form of communication would work better, since spoken conversations were apparently difficult for him.
Another user pointed out that accents are common in international teams and rarely a reason to stop someone from contributing. “I’ve interacted with people from France, Italy, Australia, Africa, and more. Not once have I heard someone say that one should stop talking because of accent,” the user commented. “If they can’t understand they very politely ask to repeat,” the comment read.
The post has opened up a larger discussion on how non-native English speakers are treated in global workplaces. Many users stressed that understanding and patience are key in such teams, and that professionalism must come from all sides.
The Indian professional has not shared whether he will escalate the issue, but many users encouraged him to raise the matter with HR if this continues. What would you do in this situation?