Indian-American CEO Daksh Gupta recently faced backlash on social media after sharing his expectations that employees work over 14 hours a day. Defending his stance on work-life balance, Gupta, CEO of AI startup Greptile, stated, “Some people want this.”
On November 9, Gupta wrote on X that he tells interviewees about his startup’s rigorous work ethic, which includes 14-hour days, including weekends, and “no tolerance for poor work.” “I initially felt bad about doing this, but I’m now sure that the transparency is good,” he underlined. It would be better for individuals to know beforehand rather than on their first day,” he continued. “I’m curious if others follow suit and if there’s a trap I’m overlooking.”
Reaction from Social Media Users
The post by the San Francisco-based CEO drew criticism from users who deemed the expectations “extremely toxic” for employees.
One user commented, “The obvious pitfall is that this is toxic. I understand your drive at Greptile, but it’s extremely unhealthy for employees. Please reconsider if possible. All the best!”
Another user said, “It is flawed to use hours worked as a proxy for productivity.” That is not the type of workplace I would ever want to be in. “Transparency is great, but this workplace culture sounds terrible,” said a third. I fail to see why anyone would want this position unless it’s common in the area. Or is it simply your intention to avoid hiring anyone?
Responding to the criticism, Gupta noted, “It might be hard to believe, but there are people who want this, though they are a minority. The transparency is to identify them.”
Gupta responded to the post’s viral success by writing, “Here’s an update now that this is on Reddit’s front page, and my inbox is 20% death threats and 80% job applications.”
Gupta also clarified, “This intense workload isn’t intended to be permanent, as it’s not sustainable.” He added that in the future, Greptile plans to bring in experienced hires who won’t need to work 100-hour weeks. “Naturally, we would adapt like any good organization.”