Employee reveals how boss secretly stalked team members' job hunt through Google searches. Netizens react: 'He's obsessed'

Time of India

4 days ago

Ethical Concerns Raised
Community Advice
Calls to Leave
Think your manager has no inkling that you have been looking up other jobs on your off hours on LinkedIn? Think again. Recently, a thoroughly disgruntled employee revealed that their senior manager had stalked the LinkedIn accounts of each team member and later interrogated them on why they were searching for new jobs.Sharing the experience on the Indian Workplace subreddit, the employee explained that even though most staff had blocked the manager on LinkedIn, he found ways to check profiles regardless. He then began interrogating them, demanding explanations for signs of job searching. According to the worker, this behavior crossed professional boundaries. Not only did the manager accuse employees of disloyalty, but he also began pushing some to resign, treating their curiosity about external prospects as betrayal.The situation escalated further when staff members who attended professional conferences and competitions on their own time and at their own expense were painted as traitors to the company. Despite the fact that the organization did not sponsor travel or registration fees, the manager insisted that participating in such events reflected negatively on their commitment to their current employer.Reddit users quickly weighed in. One suggested that LinkedIn include a privacy setting to conceal the 'open to work' badge from colleagues. In response, the original poster clarified that the manager had bypassed normal viewing methods, instead accessing profiles through Google without logging into his account—behavior that they described as invasive and stalker-like. More troubling, the manager's actions did not stop at observation. According to the employee, he had begun shouting at staff without valid reasons, creating an increasingly hostile workplace."What? Lol Is this guy obsessed or what? "Tell him to get a life," read one comment.Another commenter advised blocking human resources staff, coworkers, and supervisors on LinkedIn entirely to prevent similar intrusions. Others highlighted the deeper red flags in the manager's behavior, noting that discouraging employees from attending skill-building events they pay for themselves is a clear indicator of a toxic environment.Community members concluded that the manager's conduct reflected more than paranoia. Some suggested he resembled a bureaucratic figure obsessed with appearances and superficial control rather than real leadership. They warned that staying under such management would likely stifle growth and expose employees to greater hostility over time. For many, the advice was simple: recognize the warning signs, protect your career, and seek healthier workplaces before the environment becomes unbearable.