Client demands a meeting with remote employee despite it being midnight their time, employee complies, then sets up the call at 12 AM client's time: ‘I used his words against him’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Oct 21, 2024 9:00 AM EDT

Working with people who live in a completely different time zone than you do can become extremely challenging. You might be fine with it at first, thinking you would be able to find hours during the workday that works for both sides. But then before you know it, you are answering emails and setting up calls late at night because that is the only time you can get any work done with the other side. 

When an employee does find themselves in a situation like this, it is important to set up boundaries so they do not end up working too much and burning out, which means they also have to learn how to say no to others. The employee in this Reddit story took this advice to heart, as they refused to let a client dictate their schedule. After the client demanded a meeting at midnight employee's time, the clever employee decided to push back and set the meeting at midnight client's time, proving that no one should be forced to work in the middle of the night.

Keep scrolling to read what happened next. After that, check out this story of a Karen who got offended when a neighbor refused to help her.

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    Cheezburger Image 10418170880
    via ridvan_celik

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.


     

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    Schedule a meeting at 12 AM?
    via random_tingler
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    I've been working as a lead in an IT firm from India that supports a US client. I have a manager here in India who approves my PTO, handles
    via random_tingler
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    performance reviews, and meets with us a few times a month. His and the management's view is that the work we do is for the client, but we should also contribute to the organization.
    via random_tingler
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    So, we're encouraged to take up additional tasks like recruiting or preparing business reviews. Essentially, we need to be available during the day.
    via random_tingler
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    I also have another manager in the USA, who is Indian as well. He coordinates with the customer and handles any escalations. related to our work. His main concern is ensuring there are zero escalations from the client.
    via random_tingler
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    The clients assign us projects, and we interact with them directly. We have meetings every day, usually lasting at least two hours.
    via random_tingler
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    Since we're paid a monthly salary, there's no extra money for additional hours worked. Both managers take advantage of this. There are no strict working hours, but we must be available from 7
    via random_tingler
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    PM to 10 PM IST, which corresponds to 9 AM to 12 PM US time. Typically, we start working at 10 AM, continue until 5 PM, and then resume from 7 PM to 10 PM.
    via random_tingler
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    Sometimes, meetings with clients extend an extra 30 minutes to an hour. Our US manager connects with us after the meetings with client.
    via random_tingler
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    One day, I had a lot of work to finish and decided to work from home instead of commuting. I had a 3-hour client meeting followed by a knowledge transition session, so I was fully occupied.
    via random_tingler
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    The onsite manager asked me to schedule a meeting with him. I told him my day was packed till mid night. He refused and said he needed 30 minutes of my time. I asked if he could join a little
    via random_tingler
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    earlier before my meetings, but he said no. Then I asked is 12 AM fine for him. He said yes and schedule the meeting at 12 AM, all happened over teams chat.
    via random_tingler
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    I decided to take his own words against him, so I scheduled the meeting for 12 AM his time, which was 10 AM the next day for me, thinking, "If you expect me to
    via random_tingler
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    be available at midnight, why not you?" That was the last time he expected me to be available post mid night.
    via random_tingler
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    Zoreb1 23h ago • You need a new job unless that salary is dan good.
    via Zoreb1
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    Locke_and_Lloyd • 18h ago They're paid very well relatively. Average income on India is about $4k. These jobs pay $20-$40k and can support an extended family.
    via Locke_and_Lloyd
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    random_tingler OP • 6h ago • It may be what the companies from the US pays to Indian companies. But the companies pay employees way lesser than that. If someone gets $15
    via random_tingler
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    per hour in India, they are considered highly paid. The average salary is paid around $4 per hour converting monthly salary to hourly wages.
    via random_tingler
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    murzicorne 21h ago • Do you have HR? Re-read your contact. Full time job is, typically, 40 hours a week, on-call time should be negotiated and paid extra
    via murzicorne
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    random_tingler OP • 6h ago • One of the founders of the top IT company suggested working 70 hours per week to compete with China. But the catch is they still want to pay the same.
    via random_tingler
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    ArizonaGeek • 22h ago • 2 and 3 hour meetings should be illegal everywhere in the world! If the client can't figure their out in under an hour, I don't want to work there!
    via ArizonaGeek
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    inderu 20h ago • I'm in a country where the work week is Sunday to Thursday, so Friday and Saturday are the weekend. Whenever someone from another country (usually the USA) would try to schedule a meeting for Friday, I'd decline with a note "Friday is no good for me, how about Sunday?"
    via inderu

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management boss remote work employee manager malicious compliance meeting work malicious-compliance-reddit client reddit story workplace entitled Reddit
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