'He got a 100% hike with one offer, while I got 9% despite top ratings': A Redditor's corporate reality check sparks heated debate

Time of India

a day ago

In a post that has resonated across India's with corporate professionals, a software developer took to Reddit's r/developersIndia forum to share a story that many tech workers found painfully familiar. Despite being the highest-rated performer on his team, the user received a modest 9% increment—while a colleague with an average performance was handed a jaw-dropping 100% raise.
The reason? A single offer letter from another company.
From Loyalty to Letdown: 'Does My Hard Work Mean Nothing?'
The original poster revealed a particularly frustrating comparison. While he consistently received positive feedback and exceeded expectations, his teammate spent the year taking long leaves, allegedly faking an 'operation' (though it remains unclear whether it was medical or a euphemism for buying time), and actively interviewing with other firms. Once that colleague landed an offer, the company wasted no time matching it with a full retention hike.
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'I am a bit sad,' the employee wrote. 'Does my performance have no value? To increase your pay, all they needed was an offer letter, not your hard work throughout the year.'
Internet Erupts: From Sympathy to Cynicism
The post quickly ignited a storm of comments, with users offering not only sympathy but blunt advice. 'Just switch,' one user said. 'There's no point arguing with corporate. They treat us like slaves no matter how good we perform.'
Others took a more analytical approach. 'You have excellent value inside your organization, but no proven value outside it,' one commenter noted. 'Your colleague has average value inside but demonstrated external demand. In the short term, that outside value always wins.'
'Become Tissue Paper': Dark Metaphors for a Broken System
One particularly poetic analogy caught attention: during the pandemic, if a shop in rural America sold both tissue paper and petrol, but no one was allowed to drive, which product would suddenly become more valuable? Tissue paper, of course. 'Become tissue paper,' the commenter advised—meaning, become what's in demand, not just what's useful.
Why Meritocracy is Losing the Plot
Beyond the humor and sarcasm lies a sobering truth: Indian work culture often undervalues internal contributions and overvalues external threats. Many employees, trained to be loyal, obedient, and silent, are now awakening to the need for negotiation, self-promotion, and even strategic disloyalty to claim their worth.
'Value yourself,' one user wrote. 'Learn to promote yourself, navigate office politics, and demand the pay you deserve.'
The Real Takeaway? Performance Without Leverage Is Just Hope
This viral thread is more than a vent—it's a reflection of a widespread dilemma in today's job market. Companies claim to reward performance, but time and again, it's those who posture as flight risks who walk away with bigger cheques.
The message to young professionals is clear: merit still matters—but only if you know how to market it.