A Mumbai woman’s honest outburst about exhausting office schedules, unpaid overtime and stressful daily travel has resonated widely on social media, with several users saying her experience mirrors the harsh reality of corporate life in the country’s financial hub. The woman, identified as Tulip on Instagram, uploaded a video explaining how demanding workplace expectations and the city’s weak infrastructure often stretch a regular office shift into what she described as a “12-plus-hour job”. Her remarks have sparked conversations online about work-life balance, employee burnout and the physical and mental strain many professionals in Mumbai deal with every single day while managing jobs and commuting challenges.
‘There are no 9-to-5 jobs in Mumbai’In the viral video, Tulip questioned the idea of a proper nine-to-five routine in Mumbai, claiming that most organisations expect employees to spend far more than the standard eight working hours in office spaces. She explained that many firms also count lunch and tea breaks separately, increasing the total time staff members are expected to remain at work. “There are no 9-to-5 jobs in Mumbai, right? Most companies want you to serve 8 hours, right? And there are some amazing companies who say oh no, because you take like your lunch break and you take like breaks here and there, you should actually serve nine hours,” she said in the clip.
She further criticised workplace expectations and the culture of unpaid overtime, saying employees are often judged for leaving office on time. “Most of them want you to come by 10:00 and then leave by minimum, by like 7:00, right? If you bat an eye at 6:00, they are like ‘How dare you bat an eye at 6:00?’” Tulip also accused companies of normalising additional work without offering compensation to workers. “Most companies want you to work overtime free of charge, free of cost to them, because it’s work, right? You are supposed to be like a hard-working person.” Her comments struck a chord with several young professionals facing similar experiences.
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Commute struggles become part of the workdayApart from office culture, Tulip also spoke about Mumbai’s overcrowded public transport system and heavy traffic, saying the exhausting commute becomes an extension of the workday itself. She pointed out that even employees living close to their workplace spend long hours travelling because of congestion on roads. “If you live within maybe like a 5 to 10 kilometre radius of your office, you're lucky,” she said, adding that even short distances could mean “45 minutes in traffic”. According to her, people residing farther away from their offices often spend nearly two hours travelling in one direction, making workdays significantly longer and more tiring.
Explaining her frustration further, Tulip stated, “In Bombay, there is no 9-to-5 jobs, right? All jobs in Bombay are 12-plus-hour jobs.” The video was uploaded with the caption: “Sorry for the rant but as a fellow Mumbaikar I'm tired. A little too tired.” She also defended younger professionals who are frequently criticised for speaking out against toxic work environments and unhealthy schedules. “Please call Gen-Z soft or weak because we refuse to live in conditions like these and talk and revolt against it,” she wrote. Her comments triggered a wider online debate about changing attitudes towards work culture and employee wellbeing in urban India.
Internet reactsThe video rapidly gained traction online, drawing reactions from viewers who strongly related to the concerns raised by the Mumbai resident. Several users shared their own struggles with burnout, long office hours and exhausting travel routines in metro cities. One user commented, “This is exactly why people are burnt out before turning 30.” Another wrote, “Mumbai gives opportunities but takes away peace.” A third user said, “The commute itself feels like a second job.” Many users agreed that long working hours and stressful commutes are becoming increasingly common for professionals trying to balance careers with personal lives in fast-growing metropolitan cities across the country.
Several social media users blamed poor urban planning and corporate work culture for the growing frustration among employees. “Companies act like employees have no life outside work,” one comment read. Another added, “Two hours of travel each side is sadly normal now.” However, a few users argued that the issue is no longer limited to Mumbai alone and has become common in several major Indian cities. “This is happening in Bengaluru, Delhi and Hyderabad too,” one user pointed out. Meanwhile, HT.com stated that it had reached out to Tulip for her response regarding the viral reactions, adding that the report would be updated after receiving her comments.