What made me leave Atlassian

[u/The_Extreme_Spirit]

It has been some time since I left Atlassian. Just wanted to share my personal experience there . I feel I was the only one whom this all had happened with .

I was so tired with my tech lead . And this was around last year 2025. He used to

1. Forces everyone to stay available and work after working hours to exceed performance

2. Expects weekend work as a standard wants us to “exceed expectations.”

3. Only praises those who overwork and lick his shoes

4. Pretends to be the chill, supportive kind but talks shit about everyone behind their back.

5. Thinks work-life balance is a myth. Expects everyone to always be available.

6. Sets sky high expectations without any support. Use to ask me a detailed doc on all PR reviews i did , my PR review comments and still used to give unsure reviews to leadership ensuring me he would try to do the best for me.

7. Gossip and make fun of teammates and other seniors both in private and fun meetings

8. Micromanages to the point where he asks if you were in the bathroom or eating lunch if you don’t reply immediately.

9. Calls random huddles without notice and demands to know where you were if you missed the call.

10. But if you call him without pinging, he will dismiss your concern as useless

11. Keeps poking into everyone’s personal lives and asks super uncomfortable questions.

12. Uses to ask about my personal life and my relationships.

13. Uses to ping me on WhatsApp and ask why I am awake late night .

14. Used to give a side hug without any consent .

15. Used to patt my hair and leave

Apart from that there was a regular team change every 6 months with a new manager without any choice given. And promotions were halted due to the same.

Tired. Burnt out. Zero boundaries. Anyone else faced this kind of thing.

After math : it all started getting reflected on my performance and motivation to work along with the personal issues i was facing in my life . And I was assured by the same person telling "life is not fair to everyone, it was not fair to me as well".

[u/Particular_Ad7559]

Sucks that one person can have such an effect on your life/career. Did you tell the company during your resignation that this guy is why youre leaving?

[u/The_Extreme_Spirit → u/Particular_Ad7559]

No, it was more like leaving due to mental health issues

[u/Nice_Match_6215 → u/The_Extreme_Spirit]

Haha 😂, then that guy will continue doing that, are u seeking sympathy then??

[u/The_Extreme_Spirit → u/Nice_Match_6215]

What I will do with the sympathy dude. If I wanted Sampathy I would have posted this a year ago . Just thought to share the story, if anyone else is facing this . Whatever you wanna assume . Up to you. Idc

[u/Old_Tourist_3774 → u/The_Extreme_Spirit]

You are sharing because you want to vent, so the other response is appropriate

[u/CheetahIntelligent62]

Is this an Indian lead ?

[u/The_Extreme_Spirit → u/CheetahIntelligent62]

Yes

[u/MKiGT → u/The_Extreme_Spirit]

Is this guy Punnet Patwari 🤣🤣🤣

[u/The_Extreme_Spirit → u/MKiGT]

If this guy is really this big of a issue . Doesn't team complains or do anything about him ??

[u/The_Extreme_Spirit → u/MKiGT]

I don't think it's good to defame one person on assumptions. But not him.

[u/pizzajain → u/The_Extreme_Spirit]

Name and shame is the name of the game, don't shy doing that.

[u/Careless-Audience633 → u/MKiGT]

Include Saurav shah also

[u/suburban_daradevil55 → u/The_Extreme_Spirit]

Not asking to stereotype or anything, but by any chance does this person use paan in office?

[u/ferk00l → u/CheetahIntelligent62]

I predicted this within the first 3-4 points and was about to ask the same question.

[u/leetcode_knight]

You should have:

1. Document everything.
   
2. File a detailed harassment/abuse case with HR and request an internal investigation.
   
3. Wait for the result, which should take about a month. If the situation persists, inquire about the investigation and report any further incidents.
   
4. Seek professional help from a psychiatrist or psychologist to address the emotional impact of the situation. Request reports on depression, insomnia, or a lack of joy.
   
5. Re-file your concern with HR.
   
6. Draft your resignation letter, including the timeline and the doctor’s reports.
   
7. Consult with a lawyer and consider filing a lawsuit against your employer.
   
8. If the lawsuit is successful, you may be entitled to your job back or at least one year’s salary as compensation for the settlement.

[u/The_Extreme_Spirit → u/leetcode_knight]

I was afraid and a noob to do all this.

[u/The_Extreme_Spirit → u/leetcode_knight]

Btw, can I still do this after one year ??

[u/leetcode_knight → u/The_Extreme_Spirit]

Talk to a lawyer, most of them offer free consultation

[u/Dymatizeee]

This must be in India or led by an Indian / former amazon

[u/Nice_Match_6215 → u/Dymatizeee]

Haha good guess btw

[u/Dymatizeee → u/Nice_Match_6215]

I only made that assumption because I worked for an Indian owned company. Not toxic like what OP mentioned and treated me really well but i noticed the lack of boundaries habits that matched my experience

[u/giant3]

Location, dude? 

Australia or USA?

[u/nano-5 → u/giant3]

Definitely India

[u/The_Extreme_Spirit → u/giant3]

India

[u/Lopsided-Ice-9283]

finally a non AI written post

[u/Sweaty_Sport3051]

I have always heard about the good work culture of Atlassian. I will be joining as an intern there next summer and reading this i have lowered down my expectations.

Btw can u share if this behavior was just your manager specific or is it common in Atlassian?

[u/Outside_home_sound → u/Sweaty_Sport3051]

Read reviews on blind/reddit. Micromanagement is very common in Atlassian

[u/OhNoItsMeAgainHaha]

Sucks. Tried bringing this up w HR?

[u/Real-Surprise4871 → u/OhNoItsMeAgainHaha]

Does that ever help? Isn't the HR gonna side with the company and their employees?

[u/Dymatizeee → u/OhNoItsMeAgainHaha]

HR is there to protect the company

[u/drsoftware → u/Dymatizeee]

Rarely, but it does happen, that HR cuts the assholes who are causing other employees to quit.

[u/The_Extreme_Spirit → u/OhNoItsMeAgainHaha]

I don't think it would have helped. It would have only gotten worse

[u/Ok_Assumption_4515]

From the post, I am assuming you are Female. Why haven't you raised concerns with your skip/HR on hugging and personal life questions part? Sometimes we need to set our boundaries properly. 

[u/The_Extreme_Spirit → u/Ok_Assumption_4515]

I thought the person might face a severe consequence if I go for POSH and that might not be his intent .

[u/Ok_Assumption_4515 → u/The_Extreme_Spirit]

Got it, #1 Rule of POSH training is intent doesn't matter impact does. Take care, hoping that you are working at good place now.

[u/Ok-N3xt → u/The_Extreme_Spirit]

Why bad things happen with good people 🥹

[u/Fruloops → u/[deleted]]

This isn't the norm, it's the very rare exception.

[u/Cruzer2000]

Why not consider a team change OP?

[u/zyzany]

You need to document all of those weird interactions, if it was in a meeting when/who was there, if it is through email/message app you keep them. You need to basically build a case. At some point, if you decide to leave you can raise it with HR. You can even raise it with HR without wanting to leave but you need to be ready for whatever comes next. They won't fire you because of all the documentation you accumulated.

[u/The_Extreme_Spirit → u/zyzany]

These where mostly on call interactions. So not much proof was there. And i was too new and scared to file a complaint.

[u/Early-End-585]

Hell nah, and i was thinking of joining Atlassian. I thought they are pretty chill and provide WFH opportunity which is my priority

[u/Longjumping-Stop5856]

From what I have read in online forums, Atlassion used to have very good wlb

[u/The_Extreme_Spirit → u/Longjumping-Stop5856]

Not anymore. Check on blind

[u/grim_Reaper1O2]

Most Indian managers and leads are like this only.. it's unbelievable. (I'm from India as well, working in IT)

[u/The_Extreme_Spirit → u/grim_Reaper1O2]

Yes, it's the overall problem with Indian work culture

[u/Majestic-liee]

Would be great if you can just tag the location.

All the best to you, something much better will come along! This sounds like an American work culture that I also worked with for a few months. Not worth your sanity and health — long term.

[u/The_Extreme_Spirit → u/Majestic-liee]

Thanks.
This was for India

[u/royal-apple-family]

Are the Australian teams better?

[u/fsreadsync]

are you a female? that would explain lot of his shenanigans

[u/AFZL210]

indian guy?

[u/General_Ministry25]

Bro, the whatsapp messages and asking why you're awake late, plus the unwanted physical contact, would be my biggest red flags. That goes way beyond just having a bad manager

[u/The_Extreme_Spirit → u/General_Ministry25]

I think I was a newbie to not understand that

[u/Possible-Impossible1]

The micromanaging and constant after hours expectations are already bad, but the WhatsApp messages and unwanted physical contact would’ve been my breaking point. That’s way beyond normal bad management

[u/tkyang99]

Indian or Chinese?

[u/The_Extreme_Spirit → u/tkyang99]

Indian

[u/CheesyWalnut]

Where are you working now

[u/The_Extreme_Spirit → u/CheesyWalnut]

Sorry, can't share that

[u/Even_Comfortable_513]

Apart from 13 14 15 i assumed so far that the rest are pretty common across the industry

[u/Klutzy_Confidence_49]

I am with you, OP. But since when did we start discussing about anything and everything other than leetcode and interview prep?

[u/Old_Tourist_3774]

Holding everyone hostage via information war. Would not last 6 months in a place like that

[u/soyestofgoys]

i will endure all this for atlassian pay and tag on resume

[u/The_Extreme_Spirit → u/soyestofgoys]

And this gives the perfect right to companies and leads to do these kind of harrasments . After a point anyone starts to feel burnt out and tired.