Reddit post accuses Zepto of toxic work culture; CEO replies

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu):  Aadit Palicha, Co-founder and CEO of Zepto, on Wednesday said he is not against work-life balance and even recommends it to his competitors.

Palicha’s statement comes even as a viral post, on the American social media platform Reddit, accused the quick e-commerce platform of toxic work culture.

“I have nothing against work-life balance. In fact, I recommend it to all our competitors :),” said the 22-year-old CEO, in a post on social media platform X.

The Reddit post, by an anonymous user, alleged that Zepto's working environment was “toxic”, with employees working exhausting 14-hour shifts. It claimed that the company also pressured employees with demanding expectations.

It also claimed that Palicha starts his day at 2 pm due to difficulties waking up early, which in turn leads to meetings being scheduled at 2 am. The post further noted that Zepto hires junior staff to reduce costs and also hinted at a significant round of layoffs in March.

Palicha's post on X soon sparked a flurry of reactions from users.

“Ah, burning the midnight oil to dunk on toxic work culture posts on Reddit? Bold strategy! So, what time's your first meeting today—asking for your coffee machine,” asked one user.

“This is not a startup; it’s a dystopian nightmare masquerading as a business. Instead of addressing real concerns, they’ve chosen to mock the idea of treating employees like human beings. If this is the future of work, count everyone out,” added another.

Zepto was co-founded by Palicha and fellow Stanford dropout Kaivalya Vohra in 2021.

The need for work-life balance has been in the spotlight recently, with the death of a 26-year-old Ernst and Young India consultant in July 2024 allegedly due to work pressures.

Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy and Ola’s Bhavish Kumar also faced flak for suggesting that Indians must work for at least 70 hours a week.

As per health experts, chronic stress can affect organs of the body and may precipitate related medical conditions.