The incident on Monday is just another example of toxic work culture, which has become a heated debate of late in corporate circles. 
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The incident on Monday is just another example of toxic work culture, which has become a heated debate of late in corporate circles. A classic case of toxic work culture was all over social media on Monday after a video of a top executive from HDFC Bank abusing his colleagues during an online meeting went viral. In the video, the top executive, named Pushpal Roy, could be seen engaging in misconduct and screaming at his employees in Bengali.
HDFC Bank, meanwhile, said that the concerned employee has been suspended and a detailed investigation has been initiated which will be undertaken as per Conduct guidelines of the Bank.
Ever since the video was shared, it opened up the debate on India Inc.'s work environment and the need to look beyond just one incident to address the issue collectively.
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"Hdfc Bank viral video is nothing new, those who have corporate experience can understand it very well. Behind bigger building and thicker glasses, slavery and rudeness are hidden (sic)," a Twitter user wrote.
A second user added, "Super toxic culture. This went viral because it's virtual and got recorded. Wonder what must be happening during in-person conference room meetings."
"Today’s video of an HDFC bank manager is not just true for HDFC. It’s symptomatic of the tremendous pressure faced by sales teams to sell insurance products. It’s the biggest effort to sell inferior, low returns, wealth destructive products for highest commissions. Truly sad state of affairs. CEOs need to be hauled up for this huge misselling effort," a third user stated.
A fourth user said, "I feel ashamed to hold multiple accounts with you for over a decade. A place of such a bad work culture must not be tolerated. I am planning to close my accounts soon as part of protest from my end."
Take a look at the reactions:
Toxic work culture
The incident on Monday is just another example of toxic work culture, which has become a heated debate of late in corporate circles. According to a recent report by Kolkata-based staffing firm Genius Consultants, for instance, shows that over 48 per cent of Gen Z -- or those born in mid-to-late 1990s and the early 2010s -- attribute toxic work culture as the primary cause for quiet quitting.
Quiet quitting is a term which is used for those employees who put no more effort into their jobs than absolutely necessary. The report, based on a survey among 1,928 employees across sectors, revealed that 23 per cent of the respondents blame office politics and excessive work pressure for the issue.
After the video of the meeting in HDFC Bank went viral, netizens noted that a culture of such sort has been developed specifically within financial institutions and Roy's behaviour is something that escalated from the top.
"He alone is not the culprit, He also received the same treatment from his seniors for sure," a user on Twitter said.
"I have worked with two well-known private banks. This is just tip of the iceberg. All private banks have same culture across India but no one pay heed to the conditions of the employees," added another.
Another user noted: "HDFC Bank fired senior Employee for misbehaving with staff to sell life insurance with rough tone. By that means, 90 per cent of senior bank employees are eligible under this category."
Furthermore, users also believe that now is the time for banks and insurance companies to introspect on their sales practices so that such issues are wiped off completely.
Also Read: Video of HDFC Bank executive berating colleagues over targets goes viral; lender takes action
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