Every day, posts about highly toxic Indian managers flood online forums, highlighting a lack of compassion and humanity in corporate environments. Amid such narratives, a Reddit user recently shared a heartwarming story from the opposite end of the spectrum. The user described a Director at one of the Big4 firms, someone initially intimidating to colleagues, who turned out to be highly supportive once he recognized employees dedicated to their work.
Support Beyond the Office Desk
The user shared screenshots showing how the Director asked them to take a couple of days off after working overtime to meet a last-minute project deadline. Later, when he learned the employee had been hospitalized for kidney stones and had no remaining leave for the year, he offered his own leaves so the employee could take five days off and rest. The Redditor explained, “PS: I was hired for a client-facing role and stationed at the client HQ, so had to report all leaves taken. Was never questioned on why or how many leaves I need. Big4s are toxic, but you do get lucky if you’re in a good team with a good leader.”
Leadership Shapes Workplace Culture
Other Reddit users chimed in, sharing similar experiences with compassionate leaders. One wrote, “My Director and partner were the same. He mentored me to eventually lead the project and even though he moved out of the competency he has been helping me out with a few things. Big4 isn’t some monster, end of the day it’s made of people and what original poster mentioned is an example of what happens when a competency has a good partner, it builds good directors, good ADs, good managers and good consultants. There still would be certain toxic people but the chain of command driven by a good leader makes a lot of difference. In another competency, my friend joined as a manager and she’s struggling with a lot of politics and ultimately that would shape her experience at the firm. Firm remains the same, our leaders define the environment whether it’s toxic or a thriving one.”
The story highlights how leadership can profoundly impact employee experience, transforming a potentially stressful work environment into one where employees feel valued and supported. In a sector often criticized for toxicity, examples like this serve as a reminder that empathy and guidance at the top levels can make all the difference.
(This story is based on a post shared by a social media user. The details, opinions, and statements quoted herein belong solely to the original poster and do not reflect the views of Financialexpress.com. We have not independently verified the claims.)
