Employee vents to colleague about team lead, shares how it backfired

The employee shared their story in a post titled "A lesson I learned the hard way about workplace trust" on Reddit's Indian Workplace.

In Short

• Intern trusted colleague during internship, lost full-time role
• Shared workplace concerns with new intern, thought he was friend
• Team lead behaviour changed after venting, asked for extension

An employee has shared how trusting a colleague during an internship in an Indian company may have cost them a full-time role.

The employee shared their story in a post titled “A lesson I learned the hard way about workplace trust” on Reddit’s Indian Workplace.

The employee said they were interning at a tech company and had been putting in consistent effort for three months, in the hope of securing a permanent position. During this time, a new intern joined and quickly became close to the HR team, something the employee initially did not think much of.

They later confided in the colleague about workplace concerns, including feeling that their team lead had taken credit for their work. “Made the mistake of venting to him one day. Thought he was a friend. Trusted him,” the employee said.

Soon after, their team lead’s behaviour changed. When it came time for a possible full-time conversion, the employee said they were instead asked to extend their internship by three months. “You need a three month extension. You can't work independently. Your analytical thinking is too good but still you need an extension,” they recalled being told.

The decision came as a shock, especially after a full-time colleague had indicated they had a strong chance of being hired. Reflecting on the experience, the employee pointed to a remark the same intern had once made about sabotaging a classmate in school.

“Looking back, there was one sign I completely ignored. That same intern had once casually told me how in school he had thrown away a topper's revision notebook before exams. Just like that. No guilt, nothing. He told me that story like it was a funny memory. People tell you exactly who they are. We just don't pay attention,” the employee said.

The employee said that the setback also delayed a personal goal - arranging medical care for their mother - which they had planned to do after securing a job.

The post drew mixed reactions online. While some users expressed sympathy and called it a hard-learned lesson, others emphasised the importance of maintaining boundaries at work.

One commenter said they avoid discussing workplace issues with colleagues altogether, while another wrote, “People don't make friends in offices - it's just social, formal interactions.”

- Ends