A software professional’s Reddit post has sparked a discussion around workplace hierarchy, reporting structures and performance reviews after he claimed that helping a senior executive during his manager’s absence affected his appraisal rating.The employee, who identified himself as a software engineer with over 10 years of experience, said his manager went on leave for two weeks, during which his skip-level manager contacted him for work-related assistance. According to his post, he supported the senior executive with the required tasks, believing he was helping the organisation during his manager’s absence.However, he claimed that the same interaction later became a reason for receiving a lower appraisal rating.
Employee says he was penalised for taking responsibility
Sharing his experience on Reddit in a post titled, “My manager gave me a bad rating for helping his boss while he was on leave. Am I in the wrong here?”, the employee questioned whether he had crossed an unofficial workplace boundary.“Fast forward to appraisal time, my manager finds out about this and gave me less rating for that, and he has mentioned that as a cause,” he wrote.The employee said this was the first time in his career that he felt he was being negatively assessed for doing work that supported business requirements.
Reddit workplace story: Employee claims lower appraisal after assisting boss during manager’s absence
“I always thought stepping up when someone senior needs help (especially when your own manager is unreachable) was a good thing, not something that comes back to bite you,” he added.He also questioned whether the issue was about hierarchy and control rather than performance.“Is this some kind of ‘you overstepped/went around me’ ego thing? Or is this actually becoming normal in Indian corporate culture now, where helping the wrong person at the wrong time can hurt you more than not helping at all?” he asked.
Employee says he approached HR and senior manager
Several Reddit users suggested that he raise the matter with the skip-level manager since the appraisal feedback reportedly mentioned the incident.One user wrote that if the manager had documented the interaction as a reason for the rating, the employee should ask for clarity and explain that he was trying to support work requirements.The employee replied that he had already approached both the skip-level manager and HR but did not receive a positive outcome.“I did that and also informed HR. But nothing fruitful,” he wrote.Another user advised him to ask his manager why helping the senior executive was considered wrong and seek guidance on how such situations should be handled in future.The employee shared the response he received from his manager: “You should inform me and wait for my reply.”
Reddit users debate whether it was a communication issue
Many commenters supported the employee and criticised the manager’s reported decision.“Your manager seems to be an insecure guy!” one user wrote.Another commenter questioned whether employees would eventually need approval for routine activities if such situations continued.Some users described the incident as a case of excessive control, while others suggested that reporting lines should always be respected.One Reddit user offered a different perspective, saying the issue may not have been about helping the senior manager but about not keeping the immediate manager informed.“The problem here is not you doing the work in his absence but not informing him proactively,” the user wrote, adding that managers should remain updated about important discussions involving their teams.
Discussion highlights challenges around workplace communication
The post also triggered conversations about the relationship between managers and team members. Some users argued that good managers encourage employees to take ownership and appreciate visibility for their teams, while others said employees should maintain communication with their direct reporting managers.A user working in a managerial role commented that strong leaders usually allow team members independence because their success also reflects positively on the manager.The original poster said he was not planning an immediate resignation but wanted to continue in the organisation until he found another opportunity.The discussion reflects a broader workplace question: how should employees balance taking initiative, supporting business needs and maintaining communication with their reporting managers? While the Reddit post represents one employee’s experience, the reactions show differing views on hierarchy, transparency and appraisal practices in corporate workplaces.
