An associate consultant who claims to work at a Big 4 firm has sparked a viral debate after revealing an unconventional strategy for managing his workload. He claimed that he acts “dumb and sick” and brings up “taboo” topics like EMI struggles to enjoy a reduced workload compared to his peers. In a recent tweet, the Kolkata man discussed his workplace tactic and asked for advice on its potential long-term downsides.
“I found a trick in my office: I act like I am dumb. I starts wearing clothes which make me look sick. I act sick always,” the X user wrote. He added that whenever his colleagues talked to him, he brought up topics like “family responsibilities, loan EMI, and other topics people don’t like to talk.”
The individual observed that his tactic made people pity him and assign him less work than others.
The employee continued, “Expectations are also very less. But I complete all my task assigned to me (So that they feel, this person is in such a bad condition but still is so responsible).”
He asked, “Anyone can you tell me what are the cons of it?” and concluded the tweet.
Social media is divided:
The post prompted a wave of mixed reactions. While some were impressed by the Kolkata man, others warned that this practice would harm his long-term career prospects. A few also reacted with humour.
An individual wrote, “The moment a civilisation starts normalising mediocrity as a badge of honour, their decline is inevitable. Now you know why startups and corps don’t want to hire Gen Z freshers. They have no substance. Pathetic.” Another added,”Smart move, ghosting the grind while still getting paid.” A third posted, “Your boss is doing the exact same thing, which is why they hired you.”
Employee addresses the controversy:
The employee later updated that he had never lied about his family or health conditions, but had chosen to highlight only the negative aspects of his life. “Guys! Don’t get me wrong, I never lied! I have family responsibilities. I have severe asthma, and I had my parents loan me! I just show everyone cherry picked bad things only! And maybe I am dumb, so everything is a truth technically.”
He continued that this was a tactic he had used about six months ago but had now stopped. “Guys guys! Chill! I did this for 2 months in June-July of the previous year! If anyone keeps doing it for more than 3 months, people will fire him! Like I am in a big 4 company, and they make you work so hard, just search about it, simply I would get fired if i was a non-performing employee right! (Just search about bug 4 working culture) you will get it.”
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)
