Former HSBC employee exposes toxic workplace and derogatory remarks on LinkedIn

Former HSBC employee Nitika Kumari recently shed light on her distressing experiences of workplace discrimination and humiliation based on her ethnicity. In a candid LinkedIn post, she revealed enduring derogatory remarks from colleagues and superiors over the course of a year, initially brushing them off as typical corporate challenges.

However, the situation escalated when she faced ethnically insensitive comments from her colleague Ajmeera Ashok in April. Nitika recounted the exact words used, which translated to a threat of physical violence coupled with a derogatory remark about her ethnicity. Despite reporting the incident to her manager, Ayeesha Talukdar, and following the protocol, Nitika found no resolution. Instead, during a subsequent team meeting, she was dismissively told to overlook the incident as a mere "hatred comment."

Undeterred, Nitika pursued formal channels by filing a complaint under the Protection of Women from Sexual Harassment Act (POSH) against Ashok. However, despite her efforts, she received no substantial updates on the actions taken.

Nitika's ordeal didn't end there. Another distressing incident occurred during her smoke break when Vinay Kumar Rajuldev from the UK CDD team approached her and made objectifying remarks. Despite her objection, he continued to make derogatory comments about her, adding to her anguish.

Nitika's LinkedIn post garnered significant attention, amassing over 1.3 million likes and thousands of comments from users sharing their own experiences of workplace discrimination. The incident underscores the persistent challenges of toxic workplace cultures and the need for robust mechanisms to address such issues effectively.