A man’s jubilant celebration after resigning from what he describes as a toxic workplace has gone viral on social media, reigniting debate about the importance of employee wellbeing around the world.
In a video posted on social media, Aniket, a sales associate for a company in Pune, India, revealed he decided to leave his job after three years because his salary had “increased in peanuts” and because “the boss does not respect me at all”.
His friends decided to celebrate the moment with him and brought dhol players (Indian version of drums) outside his office for him to dance to. In the now-viral video, Aniket can be seen dancing and saying goodbye to his manager who seemed to be furious by the act.
Later, the video shows him visiting the temple and his friends hosting a surprise party for him complete with decorations and a cake. Aniket will now be looking to pursue his passion of becoming a fitness trainer.
It is worth noting while Aniket’s celebration was unique, his story is certainly not a one-off. Research suggests 80% of workplaces meet the criteria for toxicity. This is an alarming statistic that likely contributes towards a poorer sense of wellbeing when it comes to the health of employees.
In Australia alone, mental health work compensation claims have tripled in the last two decades. Combine this with the 12 million days a year workplaces lose to poor mental health.
In the video, Aniket admits he comes from a ‘middle-class family’ as an explanation for why he stuck so long with a toxic job. Many employees are in the same situation and unable to leave because of financial pressures, especially during a cost of living crisis.
The incident serves as a great reminder for employers to actively engage with their employees and create an environment conducive to work. As various experts have pointed out, pushing employees too hard in a bid to increase productivity can prove to be counterproductive.
And for all the Anikets of the world, may you be blessed with friends who will dance with you when you break up with a toxic work environment.
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Prior to joining SmartCompany, Mrinaal was the content head at Lawctopus. She has a dual degree in business and law, with a Masters in constitutional law. You can follow her on Twitter at @mrinaaldatt.
