“I was okay with low pay, but not..." Woman shares 'one' incident at the workplace that made her quit immediately

A job is not just about earning a livelihood; it also reflects your self-worth and how you perform towards a collective goal with a team. And if any of this falls short at the workplace, it is a red flag that needs extra attention.

For 26-year-old Dhrupadi, it came when she had to compromise her self-respect at the workplace. Dhrupadi resigned from her job after her boss allegedly shouted at her publicly when she asked to be compensated for overtime. She was working as a vocal coach in a Mumbai-based ed-tech company. Dhrupadi shared her experience through an Instagram Reel that has already garnered over 6 lakh views. “I was okay with low pay, but not disrespect,” says the young woman.

Thousands online related to her statement. Her resignation has sparked a discussion around workplace boundaries and employee dignity, especially for women.

In her Instagram post, she wrote, “After working for 2 years and 7 months in a company and maintaining a strong reputation in my role, I asked for compensation for extra hours being put into work.” According to her, instead of a discussion, the response she received was “being shouted at publicly in front of hundreds of people.”

In the video, a person whom she claims to be her former boss is heard saying, “Everybody has to align to my rules and regulations. If you don’t like it, please leave tomorrow. It’s okay.” The 26-year-old says she recorded the incident in hopes of seeking an apology. However, when that didn’t happen, she took the boss’ advice and resigned.

Recounting the incident, Dhrupadi says she was not entirely surprised by his behaviour.

She claims that similar incidents happened in the past with other teachers as well. According to her, the confrontation lasted around 15 minutes. “He called me selfish for asking about money, and said I could leave if I have so much problem.”Dhrupadi says that her post was never meant to be only about a resignation. It was more about starting a conversation around respectful communication. She is now focusing on content creation and music projects.

Speaking about life after quitting her job, Dhrupadi says she is still trying to figure things out; her life, her art, and her identity as an artist. “Life lately has felt like a mix of confusion, freedom, fear, inspiration, and rediscovering myself piece by piece. I feel more honest with myself now. And I think that matters more to me than pretending everything is perfect,” she reflects.

What Dhrupadi never expected is how so many people resonate with her story.

Many Instagram users shared messages of support. One user wrote, “She didn’t resign, she promoted herself out of a toxic environment.”

Why women struggle with setting boundaries at work

From an early age, women are expected to be accommodating and agreeable. At work, these qualities can result in them taking extra responsibility and being stressed. Women may hesitate to say no or even ask for compensation they deserve because of thoughts about appearing difficult.

Over time, this can lead to mental exhaustion.

Boundaries are not selfish

Setting boundaries at work can be misunderstood as being selfish. However, healthy boundaries create clarity. They can be different for different people, i.e. respecting personal time, saying no to unpaid overtime, expecting respectful talk, etc. Boundaries ensure that efforts do not come at the cost of self-respect.

Respect must be non-negotiable

One of the big takeaways from Dhrupadi's story is that salary is not the only thing that matters. Basic respect is as important if not more. Public humiliation can affect confidence a lot. Many studies have shown that a toxic workplace environment results in stress and burnout.Images Courtesy: Dhrupadi