Last update:November 12, 2024, 1:36 p.m. IST

Daksh Gupta, CEO of AI startup Greptile, recently said he informs candidates about his expectation of employees working 14-hour days.

After receiving backlash, Daksha Gupta defended her stance. (Representative image)

An Indian-American CEO recently faced backlash online after revealing that he expected his employees to work more than 14 hours a day, including weekends. In an article on X on November 9, Daksh Gupta, CEO of AI startup Greptile, said he informs his candidates about the company’s demanding work culture during interviews. He explained that typical workdays at Greptile start at 9 a.m. and often extend beyond 11 p.m., and working weekends is common.

“I emphasize that the environment is very stressful and there is no tolerance for poor quality work. It seemed wrong to me to do this at first, but I’m convinced now that transparency is good, and I would much rather people know that up front than find out on day one. I’m curious if other people are doing this and if there’s an obvious catch I’m missing,” the San Francisco-based CEO added.

However, the post sparked widespread criticism on social media, with many calling the company’s culture toxic. Some users agree that honesty during interviews is important, but question whether such a work environment is sustainable.

One user commented: “The problem is not telling people that, honesty is a good thing, the problem is running your business that way.” »

Another warned: “In my opinion this is a horrible culture you are building that will ultimately lead to your downfall. »

“Fair play in revealing this first case. Work culture shouldn’t be like that, humans aren’t designed for that. Anyone who voluntarily signs up is most likely doing so out of desperation,” one individual pointed out while another added, “I’ll be surprised if people even apply after reading this. And those who do may not be the right person. “.

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After receiving backlash, Gupta defended his stance saying that there are people who thrive in such an environment.

“Before this, people who work here had jobs of 6 to 20 hours a week and can come back at any time. – it may be hard to believe, but there are people who want it, even if they are in the minority. Transparency exists to identify them,” he wrote.

Gupta acknowledged that pushing employees to work 100 hours a week is not “sustainable” and plans to adjust the company’s expectations as it grows.

“This way of working is not meant to last forever because it is not sustainable. It’s a startup’s first year or two, which is like hitting escape velocity. As people have said in the comments, as we mature we will hire older, more experienced people who have families and can’t work 100 hours a week, and naturally we will adapt like any good organization. – this is NOT meant to be prescriptive,” he added.

Gupta ended by clarifying that his work philosophy is not linked to his Indian heritage but reflects the fast-paced culture of San Francisco.

“A lot of Indian hate comes from this post, so I want to make it clear that I am like this not because I am Indian but because I am from San Francisco,” he concluded.