Archive · 10 Nov 2025
Employee Contrasts Leave Approval: Indian vs. Japanese Managers
Imagine you need to take a day off from work for something important.
You have a boss from Japan and a boss from India.
Both say 'yes' to your day off.
But the Japanese boss says it nicely, like 'Okay, take care!'.
The Indian boss says 'Okay, but you have to be online and check your emails', making it feel like they are doing you a big favor.
This made the person who posted this feel that maybe Indian bosses are not as nice or understanding as Japanese bosses.
Other people online agreed, saying Indian workplaces can be less empathetic.
Some people thought maybe it's because in India, managers have to be more careful because some people don't work hard.
It shows that even when bosses approve leave, how they say it can make a big difference in how you feel about your job.
An employee shared contrasting leave approval styles from his Indian and Japanese managers on Reddit.
The Japanese manager's approval was professional and empathetic, while the Indian manager's implied a personal favor.
The employee felt the Indian manager's response made him feel like he was receiving a 'personal favor' rather than a right.
The post sparked a debate on social media platforms like X, with many criticizing Indian managers for a lack of empathy.
Commenters offered various reasons for the difference, including cultural trust issues and employee responsibility.
- Who
- A professional with two reporting managers (one Indian, one Japanese) and Reddit/X users.
- What
- The employee shared contrasting leave approval messages from his Indian and Japanese managers, sparking a debate on workplace culture and empathy.
- When
- Recently (implied by online post and sharing).
- Where
- In the context of workplace communication, specifically comparing Indian and Japanese management styles.
- Why
- The employee shared the experience to highlight perceived differences in empathy and respect for employee rights when approving leave.
Employee's Experience
Commenters' Perspectives
Leave Approval Tone
Employee's Experience
The employee felt his Indian manager's approval for leave was condescending, like a personal favor, while the Japanese manager's approval was professional and empathetic.
Commenters' Perspectives
Commenters debated the reasons for this difference, with some attributing it to trust issues and a lack of empathy in Indian workplace culture, while others suggested it might be due to new employees lacking a sense of responsibility.
Work Culture Comparison
Employee's Experience
The employee's experience suggests a difference in how leave is treated as a right versus a granted favor between Japanese and Indian management styles.
Commenters' Perspectives
Some commenters suggested that developed nations like Japan have less 'lies and fraud,' leading to higher trust, whereas others felt Indian managers lack empathy and appreciation.
- Employee's Situation
- Shared experience of contrasting leave approval styles from Indian and Japanese managers.
- Leave Request Context
- Urgent personal work requiring travel; employee had sufficient leave balance (7 CLs).
- Japanese Manager's Response
- Approved leave with a professional and empathetic tone: 'Good day!! Well noted. Please be careful on your way home. Thank you.'
- Indian Manager's Response
- Approved leave but with a tone implying a personal favor: 'Approved. Please be online on Teams and mail.'
- Public Reaction
- Post on Reddit and X triggered debate criticizing Indian managers for lack of empathy and trust issues.
- Counterarguments
- Some commenters cited potential trust issues, fraud, or lack of responsibility from employees as reasons for Indian managers' behavior.
Sources
Employee Shares Leave Request Replies From Indian & Japanese Bosses; Viral Post Sparks Online Debate
'Please be online': Viral post on leave approval triggers debate on Indian vs Japanese managers
Viral Reddit Post Sparks Debate On How Indian And Japanese Bosses Handle Leave Requests
‘I can quit anytime’: Indian professional confronts toxic US boss who refused her sick leave
