Since everyone keeps talking about Lala companies, here's my experience with a Lala startup.

My previous company's rules:

• Start time: The day begins at 9:00 AM sharp. Arriving even a few minutes late results in a direct WhatsApp message from the Founder.

• Focus Time: No one is allowed to step out of the office before 1:00 PM. This window is officially labelled “Focus Time.”

• Breaks: Breaks are timed and monitored by the Founder. The only officially permitted break is a short meditation break. Unscheduled or longer breaks are discouraged.

• Working hours: Employees are expected to put in roughly 12-hour days with minimal interruption. Leaving before 7:00 PM is considered early.

• Surveillance: When the Founder is not in the office, he monitors the CCTV cameras. If someone leaves before 7:00 PM, he messages them directly.

• Meeting room: The meeting room may be used only when a formal meeting is scheduled. Casual use is not allowed.

• Office atmosphere: Talking and laughing are heavily discouraged. If the Founder hears laughter, he will personally come over to investigate.

• “Pain” expectation: The Founder has stated that employees should feel genuine pain by the end of the day; otherwise the work is considered inadequate.

• Food policy: Meals are provided and are strictly vegetarian. Non-vegetarian food is not permitted. The menu and purchasing decisions are controlled by a member of the Founder’s family, with a consistent preference for the cheapest available options. Several items on the menu are not commonly eaten by the team.

• Leaving early: Completing one’s work does not entitle an employee to leave. Early departure is viewed as damaging to team morale. Staff are expected to proactively take on additional work.

• Family involvement: A member of the Founder’s family is both an investor and a client of the company.

• Cultural messaging: The Founder regularly invokes higher purpose, karma, and the idea of enduring present suffering for future reward. Ambitious growth promises have been made repeatedly, yet after two years there is little concrete evidence of progress.

• Founder’s multiple roles: The Founder simultaneously handles HR, Admin, Project Management, Sales, and Marketing — and is not particularly strong in any of these functions.

• Structure paradox: Despite being a startup, the organisation operates with four distinct layers of bureaucracy.

And the whole company is full of good experienced Engineers, they know how to work, they all have great experience. But unfortunately, the only people who end up staying there are desperate people who don't have any other choice. Attrition rate is crazy high, I have seen people come and go like it's a railway station.

TLDR: Founder manipulates employees with talk of dharma, karma and astronomical growth.

I know some people from that company might see this post, since we are all active there. So what’s up gang?

Edit: If any "news" want to pick this and publish it, I don't consent to my post being used for your articles.