Workplaces often encourage employees to take initiative, support their teams, and step up whenever required. Many professionals believe that helping colleagues and senior leaders during critical situations reflects commitment and responsibility. However, one employee’s recent experience has sparked a heated discussion online after he claimed that doing exactly that ended up hurting his performance appraisal instead of helping his career.
The employee shared that he received a lower appraisal rating because he assisted his manager’s boss while his immediate supervisor was away on leave. His story has now gone viral on Reddit, triggering conversations around office politics, workplace hierarchy, and whether employees should always stick to reporting lines even when senior leaders seek their help directly.
Employee Says Helping Senior Executive Backfired
My manager gave me a bad rating for helping his boss while he was on leave. Am I in the wrong here?
by
u/Odd_Account_4568 in
IndianWorkplace
The incident came to light after the employee shared his experience in a Reddit post titled, “My manager gave me a bad rating for helping his boss while he was on leave. Am I in the wrong here?” According to the post, his manager had been on leave for nearly two weeks.
During that period, the manager’s boss, whom he referred to as his skip-level manager, contacted him directly on a few occasions for work-related assistance. Since the requests came from a senior executive, the employee believed refusing them was never really an option.
Explaining his decision, he wrote, “Obviously I wasn’t going to say no to a skip-level or ignore his messages, so I just helped out and got the work done.” For him, it was simply about ensuring that business operations continued smoothly while his reporting manager was unavailable. At the time, he had no reason to believe that helping out would eventually affect his appraisal.
Appraisal Took An Unexpected Turn
The situation changed when the annual performance review arrived. The employee claimed that his manager learned about his interactions with the skip-level manager and reflected them negatively during the appraisal process. Sharing his disappointment, he wrote, “Fast forward to appraisal time, my manager finds out about this and gave me less rating for that, and he has mentioned that as a cause.”
He further added, “Like, actually marked me down because I helped his boss with something while he was unavailable.” The employee admitted he was shocked by the outcome because he had always believed that taking initiative during difficult situations was viewed positively within organisations.
Expressing his frustration, he said, “This is the first time in my career I’ve been penalised for doing work that was useful to the business. I always thought stepping up when someone senior needs help (especially when your own manager is unreachable) was a good thing, not something that comes back to bite you.”
‘Is This Normal In Indian Corporate?’
Confused by what had happened, the employee questioned whether he had unknowingly crossed an unwritten professional boundary. He wondered if his manager viewed the incident as bypassing the reporting hierarchy instead of simply helping a senior leader complete important work.
Seeking opinions from others, he asked, “Is this some kind of ‘you overstepped/went around me’ ego thing? Or is this actually becoming normal in Indian corporate culture now, where helping the wrong person at the wrong time can hurt you more than not helping at all?”
His question quickly resonated with many professionals who said they had either witnessed or experienced similar workplace situations. The discussion soon shifted from one employee’s appraisal to a broader conversation about leadership styles, communication gaps, and organisational culture.
Reddit Users Criticise The Manager
The post attracted widespread attention, with many users expressing sympathy for the employee and questioning the manager’s decision. Several believed the issue appeared to stem more from insecurity than from any professional mistake made by the employee.
One user commented, “Your manager seems to be an insecure guy!” Another sarcastically wrote, “Maybe you should take permission to use the washroom too. Does he bother you when you yourself are on leave?”
Others encouraged the employee to raise the matter directly with the skip-level manager. One Redditor suggested, “If your manager has documented that as a cause, why not reach out to your skip level and highlight this saying you won’t be able to help out in the future because you are not supposed to do it as per your manager! If the skip level manager is a decent chap, it would be escalated and you would be changed from under this guy.”
Another user added, “Looks like your manager wants to play games and not get the work done.” Some comments even proposed more extreme responses. One person wrote, “Make a Linkedin post on that guy tagging his linkedin ID lol, what’s done is done but don’t let that guy get away with it.”
Workplace Hierarchy Or Office Politics?
Although the employee’s account cannot independently verify the manager’s reasoning, the incident has reopened an old debate about hierarchy in corporate workplaces. In many organisations, employees are encouraged to collaborate across teams whenever necessary. At the same time, reporting structures often play an important role in maintaining accountability and communication.
When those two expectations overlap, misunderstandings can arise, particularly if managers are not informed about interactions with senior leadership during their absence. The discussion also highlights how employees often struggle to balance initiative with organisational protocol. While helping senior leaders may benefit the business, some professionals believe clear communication with immediate supervisors can prevent unnecessary conflicts later.
The Reddit thread reflects how perceptions of leadership and workplace culture can vary widely across different organisations.
Conclusion
The employee’s viral Reddit post has sparked an important conversation about professional boundaries, workplace hierarchy, and performance evaluations. While he believed he was simply supporting the business during his manager’s absence, he claims the decision ultimately resulted in a lower appraisal rating.
Whether the issue was a misunderstanding, poor communication, or office politics remains unclear. However, the overwhelming response from social media shows that many professionals relate to the challenges of navigating workplace dynamics.
The story serves as a reminder that beyond completing assigned tasks, managing communication and expectations within an organisation can sometimes be just as important as the work itself.
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