Zepto Faces Backlash Over Alleged Toxic Work Culture, CEO’s Reply Sparks Outrage

Zepto CEO Aadit Palicha has found himself at the center of a heated debate surrounding work-life balance following a viral Reddit post accusing the company of fostering a “toxic work culture.”

The controversy started when an anonymous Reddit user shared their experience on the subreddit r/StartUpIndia, claiming that Zepto had an unhealthy environment, marked by late-night meetings and long working hours.

Toxic work culture ft. Zepto
byu/Scary_Split3157 inStartUpIndia

In response to the backlash, Palicha took to X (formerly Twitter) on December 4, stating, “I have nothing against work-life balance. I recommend it to all our competitors.” He later clarified that this quote was not his but was attributed to Daksh Gupta, an Indian-origin CEO known for advocating long working hours in his company.

Also Read: Zepto Eyes IPO, Expands Nationwide

Despite Palicha’s clarification, many interpreted the comment as a direct response to the Reddit accusations. Social media reactions have been largely skeptical. The post also claimed that Zepto hires younger employees to reduce wages and hinted at potential layoffs, with hiring frozen in most departments. Additionally, the post accused the company of using “dark patterns” to extract more money from customers and reported that employees were expected to work 14-hour days, with senior staff reportedly avoiding the company’s intense work culture.