Hi everyone,
I’m writing this post with a heavy heart, after months of silently bearing what I can only describe as a toxic, demotivating, and utterly disrespectful work environment. I’ve been leading a team for almost two years now and despite all efforts to maintain professionalism, team harmony, and clear communication, I’ve only been met with betrayal, humiliation, and abandonment—especially by the people who were supposed to support me.
This post is long, but every point here is important. Please bear with me—and guide me if you’ve ever been through anything remotely similar. I’m now depressed, suffering from anxiety, high blood pressure, and sleep deprivation, and I don’t intend to serve any notice period because I cannot go through another day of this mental torture.
Location: India
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Refusal to Fulfill Responsibilities
A team member outright refused to work on a huge project, citing personal issues. He even said he’d rather be given a warning letter or leave the company—but won’t do production. No action was taken. Another member asked for a shift change due to “health concerns,” but no clarity was ever given. The inconsistency and preferential treatment were obvious. -
False Allegations – No Chance to Defend
I was accused of discussing someone’s performance review in the open. I wasn’t even given the chance to speak or share my side. My manager directly assumed I was wrong, despite me presenting proof. The proof was conveniently labeled “doctored.” Meanwhile, my BP had shot to 170, but I was still forced to attend meetings. Human decency? Apparently not. -
No Training or Support
I took over the team and accounts without a single training session or handover. I had to figure everything out myself. No documents, no calls, no meetings—zero guidance. Yet, expectations remained sky high. When I asked for support, I was either ignored or told “I’ll look into it”—which never happened. -
False Promises on Ratings/Promotions
Before appraisals, a few of us were given verbal assurances—ratings and even a promotion. None of those promises materialized. Naturally, the rest of the team thought I had something to do with their outcome, when in fact, I wasn’t even consulted. I was thrown into a leadership role without authority or clarity, and made the scapegoat for decisions I didn’t even make. -
Zero Respect for Leadership Role
I was later told that my role as a lead was “just a formality.” So, while I was being held accountable for everything, I had no authority to drive change or take calls. And when I asked that this be clarified in a team meeting to avoid confusion, I was refused. -
Communication Breakdown
People applied for leave on WhatsApp, informed me at the last minute, or didn’t inform me at all—only to later say “the manager already knows.” No SOPs, no chain of command, and absolutely no accountability. -
Gossip & Targeting
Because I was unavailable for a few days (due to health reasons), internal gossip began that I was “not leading properly.” When I raised this, I was told to stop talking to the team and focus only on production. If I’m not even allowed to communicate with the team, then what exactly was my role? -
Character Assassination
The moment anything went wrong, it was assumed I was the problem. Nobody came to me for clarification. And when I tried to defend myself, I was brushed aside. It felt like the whole team was allowed to spread lies, but I wasn’t allowed to even speak. -
Biased Feedback
Despite my efforts—open-door policy, weekly check-ins, personal connections—I was told during appraisals that I “don’t communicate enough.” My previous manager had praised my interpersonal approach. But current leadership simply labeled me a failure with no explanation or corrective suggestions. -
Team Misconduct – No Action
When a team member refused to work, he wasn’t reprimanded. He was transferred to a different account. Seriously, what message does that send? Meanwhile, I was breaking my back to cover his responsibilities—with no support. -
No Role Clarity, No Resources
I kept asking for my role to be communicated formally to the team and requested help managing increasing workloads. Nothing happened. People were quietly removed from the team, and I was expected to do everything with limited hands. I kept hearing: “It’s a small task—you can manage.” But that’s just gaslighting. The team was burnt out, and so was I. -
Repeated Monetary Harassment
One of my former managers literally asked me for money twice—citing loan repayments and personal issues. Out of sympathy, I lent it the first time, and it was returned after two months. The second time, I refused. After that, he started mistreating me—ignoring me, withholding support, and blaming me for unrelated issues. When I raised this with another manager, I was told his phone was hacked. Seriously??
And guess what? The same guy approached me again in the office recently asking for money. I’m speechless.
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Last-Minute Transitions
In December, I was informed I had to complete a full team transition by the first week of January. No KT sessions had even started by then. The timeline was ridiculous, and I was expected to do the impossible—yet again—with no flexibility or empathy. -
“Don’t Be Too Ambitious”
Some colleagues even had the audacity to tell me my “ambition” was the reason for my stress. Apparently, wanting to grow and have vision makes me the problem? -
Fake Job Opportunities
I was told internally that I could apply for another role. I expressed interest, followed up multiple times—and later found out that the positions were filled and my name was never even sent to HR. Why play with someone’s career like this? -
Moved to Another Team – It’s Worse
Recently, I was moved to a new team. I hoped for a fresh start—but this team is even more toxic.
Despite most of the team being idle, the work pressure dumped on me is insane. I am constantly taunted and spoken to sarcastically. My leaves aren’t being approved. There’s no empathy, no work distribution, and no respect for work-life balance.
⚠️ Final Thoughts
At this point, my mental and physical health are seriously affected. I’ve had:
Constant headaches
Anxiety
High blood pressure
Panic attacks
Sleepless nights
This is not just toxic—it’s dangerous. I can’t and won’t serve the notice period if I resign. I’ve endured enough.
❗Please help:
1. What are my legal rights if I resign without notice due to health and harassment?
2. How do I communicate this in my resignation without putting myself at legal risk?
If you’ve read this far—thank you. I really need clarity, advice, and even emotional support from this community. I feel utterly betrayed, isolated, and exhausted.
If you’ve ever been through something similar, please share what helped you. 🙏
— A burnt out employee.