Reddit Whistleblower Raises Concerns Over Zepto’s Toxic Hustle Culture & Mental Health

StartupTalky News

22 May 2025 — 5 min read

Reddit User Shares Harrowing Zepto Work Experience

India’s popular quick-commerce startup Zepto is once again sparking fresh concerns about its workplace environment following a detailed Reddit post from May 2025. A user shared how a short stint at Zepto severely impacted their mental health and career, raising questions about how the company operates behind the scenes, especially for junior contract employees.

This comes months after a December 2024 Reddit post described widespread issues within Zepto’s internal culture. The post surfaced before the CEO’s later public remarks, which were widely seen as endorsing hustle culture and downplaying work-life balance, sparking further backlash.

“Zepto Ruined My Mental Health and Confidence”

The latest Reddit post by a fresh engineering graduate recounted being contacted by an HR consultancy for a “Data Analyst” role at Zepto. However, the job description was titled “MIS Executive” and included tasks like Excel work, SQL, dashboards, reporting, and data validation.

The job description itself raised early red flags: a plain PDF with bullet points, no company logo, no department details, and no clear context.

“Red flag, in hindsight,” the user wrote.

Despite concerns, they accepted the role on a contractual basis, with no clear information provided upfront about working hours or reporting structure. The post alleges they worked six to seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. or later, often without lunch breaks or holidays.

“No holidays. No structure. If someone from the team took a break, it was fine—but if I took one, I’d get a call from a senior asking why I’m not ‘committed,’” the user recalled.

Instead of meaningful data analysis, they were relegated to repetitive logistics coordination and administrative tasks.

The user described verbal abuse, team exclusion, and a complete lack of HR support. They said a senior frequently insulted them with demeaning language and made intimidating hand gestures.

“Managers communicated in slurs and treated me like I was trash, especially because I wasn’t part of their ‘inner circle,’” the user said.

The psychological toll was immense, leaving them anxious, fearful, and mentally shattered.

On their last day, despite being unwell with a 100°F fever, they were pressured to return the company laptop within an hour—an impossible demand considering a two-hour commute in heavy rain—with what the user described as “zero empathy.”

The HR reportedly said, “I don’t care about your health. Our company data is with you and you are no longer an employee because you have absconded. Return the laptop now.”

The user attached their original offer letter, which was unbranded and vague, confirming the position was contractual without any formal clarity on terms.

Earlier Post Paints Deeper Concerns

This latest post follows an earlier Reddit submission from December 2024, which detailed systemic issues within Zepto, such as excessive late-night shifts, 14-hour workdays, forced PR activities, and a high turnover rate among junior employees.

In response to the backlash over those comments, the CEO later publicly acknowledged that the intense work culture might not be suitable for everyone and expressed regret over his choice of words.

Flashback: The Comments That Sparked It All

In December 2024, Zepto CEO Aadit Palicha posted online:

“I have nothing against work-life balance. In fact, I recommend it to all our competitors.”

I have nothing against work-life balance. In fact, I recommend it to all our competitors :)
— Aadit Palicha (@aadit_palicha) December 4, 2024

The comment quickly went viral, drawing sharp criticism from netizens and former employees who viewed it as a tone-deaf endorsement of hustle culture.

Later, in April 2025, Palicha addressed the backlash during a podcast with Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan, admitting:

“It was a stupid idea to write that post.”

He further clarified:

“Join Zepto if you're looking to do the best work of your life… But I know it's not realistic to expect everyone to work seven days a week or love every moment of it.”

Palicha acknowledged that Zepto’s high-intensity culture may not be a fit for everyone and that his personal enthusiasm is not universally shared.

What It Means for Startup Work Culture

Zepto has not publicly responded to these specific Reddit allegations. However, the posts highlight urgent issues around:

Weak HR oversight, especially for contract workers
Burnout, miscommunication, and unclear job roles
Toxic leadership and its impact on employees

While these problems are not unique to Zepto, repeated claims from contract and full-time employees alike suggest a larger systemic issue needing attention from investors, regulators, and leadership.

A Pattern or an Exception?

Taken together, the CEO’s public regret over his pro-hustle post, anonymous reports of burnout and toxic leadership, and allegations of vague hiring practices paint a troubling picture.

The recurring concerns suggest these may not be isolated incidents, but a pattern requiring serious scrutiny.