Vinit Patil, a support engineer, recently shared his experience on Reddit about receiving a work call at an unusual hour—1:30 am—while he was fast asleep. The call was from a senior colleague who wanted to inform him about an urgent schedule change, requiring him to report to work by 6 am, just 1.5 hours earlier than his usual start time of 7:30 am. Unfortunately, Vinit missed the call as he was asleep, only discovering it when he woke up at 6 am, realizing the situation.
Vinit had left work at 9 pm the previous night and was understandably taken aback by the unexpected request. In his Reddit post, he expressed his concern about the consequences of missing the call, noting how it caught him off guard.
Didn’t pick office colleagues call while asleep at 1:30 am
byu/Vinit-Patil-2002 indevelopersIndia
The post quickly gained traction, with many Reddit users empathizing with Vinit and criticizing the unprofessional behaviour of his senior colleague. Some pointed out that expecting someone to be available at such odd hours is unreasonable and unprofessional. One user suggested reporting the incident to the project manager, albeit in a friendly manner, while others advised Vinit not to worry too much, recommending that he apologize and explain the situation when he arrived at work.
Another commenter noted that picking up such late-night calls could set a dangerous precedent, making the employee appear always available, which is not sustainable in the long run. The situation highlights a broader issue faced by many employees—the blurring of boundaries between work and personal life, fueled by the expectation of constant availability.
This incident has resonated with many, reflecting the growing challenges of maintaining work-life balance in an era of constant connectivity.