A LinkedIn post criticising companies for offering just one work-from-home (WFH) day per month during the Mumbai monsoon has struck a nerve with corporate professionals across India. Shared by Siddhartha Dayani, a marketing executive, the post has sparked a wave of agreement, highlighting the disconnect between workplace policies and ground realities during the city’s heavy rains.
The post questions the rationale behind granting only one WFH day for an entire month, especially in a city where monsoon disruptions can last for days, if not weeks. With Mumbai frequently experiencing waterlogging, transport delays, and red alert warnings, the idea of a fixed, limited WFH day has been criticised as performative and impractical.
Many users chimed in, sharing their own experiences of commuting through flooded streets or falling ill after navigating poor weather conditions just to reach their offices. The post has brought attention to the unspoken workplace expectations that pressure employees to show up physically, regardless of safety concerns or health risks.
Several professionals in advertising, public relations, and corporate roles responded, noting that they too were expected to be present in the office even on days with severe weather warnings. The growing sentiment reflects a larger frustration with rigid policies disguised as flexible ones.
Comments on the post compared the token gesture to “handing out one tissue in a hurricane,” calling for more empathetic and realistic approaches to employee well-being. Users from other cities, including Gurugram, joined the conversation, pointing out similar struggles during the northern monsoon season.
As hybrid work culture evolves post-pandemic, the incident has reignited discussions on how companies can better align their policies with real-world challenges, particularly in climate-affected urban centres.
