Employee compares Indian and Japanese managers' replies to leave request despite having 7 CLs, sparks debate on work culture and empathy

A recent Reddit post has reignited discussion around workplace culture and managerial attitudes in India after an employee shared contrasting reactions from their two supervisors — one Indian and one Japanese — to the same leave request. The post, shared on the subreddit r/IndianWorkplace, has since gone viral for exposing subtle yet telling differences in tone, empathy, and professionalism.

The same request, two very different responses
According to the Redditor, they needed to travel home for urgent personal work and had at least 7 casual leaves left. With two reporting managers, one Indian and one Japanese — they emailed both to request approval.

Both managers approved the leave, but their replies couldn’t have been more different.

The Japanese manager responded courteously: “Good day!! Well noted. Please be careful on your way home. Thank you.”

Meanwhile, the Indian manager’s message, though granting permission, came with a caveat: “Approved. Please be online on Teams and mail.”

The Reddit user noted that while both approvals were technically the same, the Indian manager’s tone made it feel like a personal favour rather than a professional entitlement.

Netizens react: empathy, irony, and a cultural divide
The post, which featured screenshots of both emails, quickly drew hundreds of reactions from users who shared their own experiences with managers from different cultures.

One commenter wrote, “Oh yes! I’ve worked with Japanese clients in the past — they’re usually polite and respectful. There’s a stark difference when working with Indian clients.”

Another added, “I had a boss who yelled at me for letting someone leave after four hours of unpaid overtime. Indian corporate culture really needs a reset.”

However, not all comments were one-sided. Some users pointed out the irony, referencing Japan’s notorious overwork culture. “Isn’t Japan the country where ‘karoshi’ literally means death by overwork?” one user remarked, suggesting that courtesy in communication doesn’t always reflect healthier work-life balance.

One comment summed up the dilemma wittily: “Being an Indian, I’m scared to be a manager; I can’t bear to disappoint my subordinates like this.”