‘My manager told me not to work over 40 hours a week’: Indian woman compares New Zealand and Indian work culture

An Indian woman working in New Zealand has praised the country’s workplace culture, saying employees are appreciated and encouraged to protect their personal time.An Indian professional said Kiwi managers appreciated staff and discouraged overtime and weekend work. (Instagram/ yamika.gandhi)Yamika Gandhi shared a video on Instagram from her nearly empty office at 4 pm on a Friday. She explained that most of her colleagues usually work from home on Fridays and recalled receiving a message after submitting an important piece of work.(Also read: ‘Sorry, I hit your car’: Indian woman in New Zealand says stranger’s note restored her faith in people)“My colleague sent me a message saying, ‘Thank you Yamika, really appreciate the work that you do,’” she said.Appreciation at the workplaceGandhi said sincere words of appreciation from her colleagues often leave her feeling shy because she considers the tasks part of her regular responsibilities.“I’m supposed to do this work, like I’m paid to do this work and yet every time I do something even mildly good, people notice it and they thank me and appreciate me for it,” she said, calling the experience a “culture shock”.She added that colleagues also discourage her from staying late at work. “My colleagues often nudge me saying, ‘Don’t stay too late’, ‘Go home soon’,” Gandhi said.According to her, when she joined the organisation, her manager told her not to work more than 40 hours a week. She was also advised to take time off on another day whenever she worked additional hours to meet a deadline.Work life balance in New ZealandComparing the workplace cultures of India and New Zealand, Gandhi said employees in India are frequently expected to work overtime and sometimes even on weekends.“Hard work is often measured in the quantity of hours rather than the quality,” she said, adding that employees can feel constant pressure to perform because they believe they can easily be replaced.“In New Zealand, you’re valued as an employee. And if you’re not doing well, then they check in with you and provide support,” Gandhi said.She added that people remain fully focused during their usual working hours and then dedicate time to their families, hobbies and personal lives. “And I just love the work culture here so much,” she concluded.The video was shared with the caption, “Just a realisation I had about workplace culture in New Zealand.”Watch the clip here:Social media users reactThe clip prompted several responses. One user wrote, “I have an Indian manager, and I work from home. Trust me, she is amazing.” Another commented, “So true! The work cultural shift is an eye opener.”“This is so true. It is difficult to cope with the work culture in India, and it can be extremely exhausting,” a person said.Another offered a different perspective, writing, “That sweet ‘thank you’ often comes from people who deliberately make others do their share of the work.” A fifth user added, “I also want this kind of work culture in my office.”(Also read: ‘Family comes first’: Indian woman shares how New Zealand’s work culture prioritises people over deadlines)HT.com has reached out to the user for her comments, and the copy will be ce her response is received.(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)