A workplace controversy erupted online after a senior professional shared his views on LinkedIn about employees seeking time off on Mondays. The post by Nagaraj M.C., Chief Quality Officer at a software company, was heavily criticized on the subreddit Indian Workplace. Nagaraj argued that individuals requesting leave or remote work on Mondays negatively influence team motivation and reduce overall productivity.
Nagaraj’s Perspective on Monday Absenteeism
Drawing from over three decades of corporate experience, Nagaraj explained that he had frequently observed a recurring pattern of employees avoiding work on Mondays. He noted that the practice intensified after the pandemic, with employees increasingly requesting to work from home at the start of the week.
According to Nagaraj, this trend impacts workplaces in several ways:
Lower Energy Levels: Employees who extend weekends by taking Mondays off tend to return with reduced enthusiasm, which hampers agility in task execution.
Loss of Focus on Priorities: Mondays, he stated, are critical for setting weekly momentum. Physical presence in the office enables better planning, stronger communication, and clarity of body language, which remote setups often fail to capture.
Strained Team Collaboration: Repeated absences on Mondays, in his view, weaken group dynamics, foster blame culture, and diminish opportunities for trust-building through face-to-face discussions.
Nagaraj emphasized that consistent attendance on Mondays is essential for innovation, accountability, and fostering strong professional relationships. While acknowledging that flexible work cultures have their advantages, he concluded that leaders should encourage Monday office attendance to ensure structured planning and smooth execution of team goals.
Online Reactions to the Post
Nagaraj’s stance triggered a wave of criticism from professionals across platforms. Many argued that his views were outdated and dismissive of modern work dynamics.
One LinkedIn respondent disagreed with his generalization, stating that performance should be measured by contributions rather than specific days of attendance. They argued that every weekday holds equal value, and the true measure of productivity is maintaining consistency throughout the week.
Another commenter described Nagaraj’s perspective as regressive, especially in an era where artificial intelligence and digital tools are reshaping workplaces. They pointed out that while Western companies are experimenting with four-day workweeks, some Indian leaders continue to advocate for stricter in-office mandates, which may reflect weak leadership styles.
Additional voices stressed that timely completion of work should matter more than physical presence, questioning the necessity of what they saw as micromanagement.
UBS Adopts a Hybrid Work Policy
Interestingly, global institutions are also grappling with the balance between office attendance and flexibility. According to Fortune, Swiss banking leader UBS has resisted hardline return-to-office measures imposed by rivals such as JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs. Instead, UBS recently informed employees—through an internal memo first reported by Finews—that staff must spend at least three days per week in the office. The company further restricted combining Fridays and Mondays as remote workdays, thereby avoiding long stretches away from physical offices.
This approach echoes Deutsche Bank’s 2023 policy, which similarly barred remote work on Fridays and Mondays. UBS stressed that its hybrid model encourages in-person collaboration while still offering flexibility, striking a balance between innovation and tradition.
Understanding Monday Blues
The debate also connects with a broader concept known as Monday Blues. As explained by Siloam Hospitals, this term refers to the unpleasant emotions people often feel when transitioning back to work after the weekend. Though not a medical condition, its symptoms resemble those of stress-related disorders.
Common signs include sadness, fatigue, anxiety, restlessness, disturbed sleep, headaches, muscle tension, and even elevated blood pressure. Causes often stem from job dissatisfaction, work-related stress, or unhealthy weekend habits like disrupted sleep schedules and substance use. Cognitive distortions, such as imagining worst-case scenarios or adopting all-or-nothing thinking, can also intensify these feelings.
Nagaraj’s Perspective on Monday Absenteeism
Drawing from over three decades of corporate experience, Nagaraj explained that he had frequently observed a recurring pattern of employees avoiding work on Mondays. He noted that the practice intensified after the pandemic, with employees increasingly requesting to work from home at the start of the week.
According to Nagaraj, this trend impacts workplaces in several ways:
Lower Energy Levels: Employees who extend weekends by taking Mondays off tend to return with reduced enthusiasm, which hampers agility in task execution.
Loss of Focus on Priorities: Mondays, he stated, are critical for setting weekly momentum. Physical presence in the office enables better planning, stronger communication, and clarity of body language, which remote setups often fail to capture.
Strained Team Collaboration: Repeated absences on Mondays, in his view, weaken group dynamics, foster blame culture, and diminish opportunities for trust-building through face-to-face discussions.
Nagaraj emphasized that consistent attendance on Mondays is essential for innovation, accountability, and fostering strong professional relationships. While acknowledging that flexible work cultures have their advantages, he concluded that leaders should encourage Monday office attendance to ensure structured planning and smooth execution of team goals.
Online Reactions to the Post
Nagaraj’s stance triggered a wave of criticism from professionals across platforms. Many argued that his views were outdated and dismissive of modern work dynamics.
One LinkedIn respondent disagreed with his generalization, stating that performance should be measured by contributions rather than specific days of attendance. They argued that every weekday holds equal value, and the true measure of productivity is maintaining consistency throughout the week.
Another commenter described Nagaraj’s perspective as regressive, especially in an era where artificial intelligence and digital tools are reshaping workplaces. They pointed out that while Western companies are experimenting with four-day workweeks, some Indian leaders continue to advocate for stricter in-office mandates, which may reflect weak leadership styles.
Additional voices stressed that timely completion of work should matter more than physical presence, questioning the necessity of what they saw as micromanagement.
UBS Adopts a Hybrid Work Policy
Interestingly, global institutions are also grappling with the balance between office attendance and flexibility. According to Fortune, Swiss banking leader UBS has resisted hardline return-to-office measures imposed by rivals such as JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs. Instead, UBS recently informed employees—through an internal memo first reported by Finews—that staff must spend at least three days per week in the office. The company further restricted combining Fridays and Mondays as remote workdays, thereby avoiding long stretches away from physical offices.
This approach echoes Deutsche Bank’s 2023 policy, which similarly barred remote work on Fridays and Mondays. UBS stressed that its hybrid model encourages in-person collaboration while still offering flexibility, striking a balance between innovation and tradition.
Understanding Monday Blues
The debate also connects with a broader concept known as Monday Blues. As explained by Siloam Hospitals, this term refers to the unpleasant emotions people often feel when transitioning back to work after the weekend. Though not a medical condition, its symptoms resemble those of stress-related disorders.
Common signs include sadness, fatigue, anxiety, restlessness, disturbed sleep, headaches, muscle tension, and even elevated blood pressure. Causes often stem from job dissatisfaction, work-related stress, or unhealthy weekend habits like disrupted sleep schedules and substance use. Cognitive distortions, such as imagining worst-case scenarios or adopting all-or-nothing thinking, can also intensify these feelings.
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