A viral video by Microsoft employee Mansi Singhal, showing long breaks during her workday, raises questions about work-life balance in tech, office perks, and productivity.
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| Mansi Singhal’s Instagram reel featuring extensive breaks during her workday at Microsoft has gone viral, raising questions on office perks and work-life balance. Image: MS/ CH |
Hyderabad, India — August 5, 2025:
A recent viral Instagram video from Microsoft employee Mansi Singhal has ignited a broader conversation about work-life balance, productivity, and the culture of modern tech offices. In the video, Singhal, a 24-year-old software engineer at Microsoft’s Hyderabad office, offers a peek into her typical workday, which includes not just work, but a series of long breaks: a 45-minute breakfast, a dessert run, and even a quick gaming session. The casual nature of her daily schedule has prompted intense social media analysis and raised questions about the productivity expectations of tech workers.
While companies like Microsoft are known for their generous office perks—free lunches, flexible hours, and even recreational areas for employees—Singhal's video has caused many to wonder: Is this the reality of tech office life, or is this a glimpse of what some might call “adult daycare”? With timestamps included, social media users quickly pointed out that Singhal’s day seemed to have more breaks than work. One commenter, estimating her work time at 6 hours and 15 minutes, noted that 3 hours and 10 minutes of her day appeared to be spent on breaks alone.
The debate has sparked a wider discussion about the balance between employee well-being and corporate productivity. In the past, Silicon Valley-style perks were seen as innovative, designed to foster creativity and retain talent. Yet Singhal’s video, which portrays an office experience of leisure, has led to a backlash from those questioning the necessity of such excessive downtime in an age when many workers are asked to return to the office after the pandemic’s shift to remote work.
“Lunch at 1:00 p.m. and not back at work until 2:15 p.m? That’s absurd,” one commenter wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “This ‘adult daycare’ label is more than earned.” Others expressed frustration with what they perceived as a disconnection between the actual demands of the job and the time spent indulging in office perks. One user even jokingly referred to the phenomenon as "ghostworking," a trend that has emerged where employees appear to be working without actually being productive, a concern that has particularly resonated with burned-out Gen Z workers.
While some questioned Singhal’s ability to retain her job, especially in light of Microsoft’s recent layoffs, she responded in a follow-up post, clarifying that her videos tend to show the “good side” of dev life. Singhal acknowledged that, in reality, her role is far more chaotic than the video suggests, which may imply that there is more going on behind the scenes than what her lighthearted posts portray.
Despite the controversy, Singhal isn’t alone in sharing this kind of behind-the-scenes content. Many other tech employees at major companies like Google, Facebook, and Amazon have also shared similar “day in my life” videos, showing a mixture of work and play in office environments that encourage creativity and relaxation. But as the global conversation around hybrid and remote work continues, the line between office perks and genuine productivity has become increasingly blurred.
For some, the perks Singhal enjoys represent the bare minimum, especially as companies push employees to return to physical offices. “If they want full RTO (Return to Office), the office needs to go pre-COVID too,” commented one X user, emphasizing that workers expect their workplaces to offer amenities and flexibility that match the needs of today’s workforce.
As companies like Microsoft, Facebook, and others continue to refine their office cultures and workplace policies, the debate surrounding work-life balance and office perks is likely to remain a hot topic. While some will argue that extensive breaks and perks are necessary for employee happiness, others will continue to challenge whether these elements might be undermining long-term productivity.