Zepto CEO Aadit Palicha recently joined the heated debate on work-life balance with a post that some believe subtly addresses accusations of a “toxic work culture” at his company. This follows a viral Reddit post claiming the startup promotes unhealthy work habits.
What did Aadit Palicha say?
Palicha, 22, wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “I have nothing against work-life balance. In fact, I recommend it to all our competitors.” Shortly after, he clarified, “FYI, not my quote—read it from an interview of Daksh Gupta.”
The remark refers to Indian-origin CEO Daksh Gupta, who recently faced backlash for defending 84-hour workweeks at his San Francisco AI startup. Gupta made the same statement on X last month.
The viral Reddit post
The controversy escalated after a Reddit user, claiming to be a Zepto employee, criticised the company’s work environment. The post accused Zepto of fostering long working hours, with meetings allegedly starting at 2 am because the CEO begins his day at 2 pm.
The user also claimed that the company exploits young employees and is preparing for a “massive round of layoffs.”
Internet reactions
Palicha’s post sparked mixed reactions online. Some users linked it to the viral Reddit allegations. One person commented, “Burning the midnight oil to dunk on toxic work culture posts? Bold strategy!” Another quipped, “8 am is the new 2 am.”
Aadit Palicha's achievements
Despite the controversy, Aadit Palicha has made headlines for his success. As the co-founder of Zepto, launched in 2021 alongside Kaivalya Vohra, he is now the second youngest person on the Hurun India Rich List, with a net worth of Rs 4,300 crore.
Zepto has not yet issued a statement regarding the Reddit allegations. This report will be updated when the company responds.
The debate over work-life balance continues, with Palicha’s comments adding fuel to the ongoing discussion.
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