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Debate over ‘Monday Absenteeism’ sparks questions on flexibility in Indian workplaces
A LinkedIn post by a senior executive criticising employees for skipping Mondays sparked debate on workplace culture, with critics calling the stance outdated amid global shifts towards flexibility and outcome-driven performance.
The commentary, shared by Nagaraj MC, Chief Quality Officer at a software firm, argued that avoiding work on Mondays undermines momentum, collaboration, and accountability.
A LinkedIn post criticising employees for skipping Mondays has ignited a wider debate about workplace flexibility in India, highlighting the growing divide between traditional management mindsets and evolving global work practices.
The post done by Nagaraj MC, Chief Quality Officer at a software firm, argued that avoiding work on Mondays undermines momentum, collaboration and accountability. Drawing on his three decades of corporate experience, he claimed that Monday office presence is “essential for innovation and execution”. He cited declining enthusiasm, weaker planning and reduced trust-building when staff opted to work remotely at the start of the week.
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But his post quickly drew sharp criticism across LinkedIn and on the Indian Workplace subreddit, where professionals dismissed his views as outdated. Critics said performance should be measured by results, not physical attendance on specific days. Some called the stance “regressive”, especially when companies in the West are experimenting with four-day workweeks.
“Leadership should not be about enforcing rigid attendance but about enabling outcomes,” one respondent wrote. Another labelled the remarks as micromanagement masked as culture-building.
The debate comes at a time when global firms are recalibrating return-to-office strategies. The discussion also links to the popularised concept of ‘Monday Blues’, where employees experience fatigue, low mood, or anxiety at the start of the week.
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