By Yetunde B., reporting for Yettys News

As many people woke up and logged into LinkedIn to catch a glimpse of trending stories, one particular post stood out, and it came from India’s tech capital, Bengaluru.

A local entrepreneur has sparked a heated conversation online after revealing that his office was still half-empty at 10 AM. The reason wasn’t employee laziness or lack of commitment. Instead, he pointed to something far more structural: the city’s unbearable traffic.

A Half-Empty Office at 10 AM

Bala Panneerselvam, CEO and founder of Applied AI Studio, posted a photo on LinkedIn showing rows of empty desks at 10:15 AM.

The image quickly went viral. In his caption, he explained that the issue is not the people, but the sheer effort required just to show up.

“The problem is not the people. But the effort it takes to show up in the office.”

Panneerselvam described how even short commutes have become exhausting.

A four-kilometre stretch in HSR Layout can take 20 minutes on a scooter and 30 minutes by car, often longer during peak hours. By the time commuters reach work, he argued, they are already mentally and physically drained, making productivity difficult before the day even begins.

The Commute Doesn’t End at the Office

He added that leaving work after 6 PM often doubles commute time, leaving employees too tired to enjoy personal time and affecting their next morning’s arrival.

For readers abroad, Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore, is located in the state of Karnataka, India, and is widely considered the country’s Silicon Valley.

But its rapid growth has come with severe infrastructure challenges.

Bengaluru Residents Say They Can Relate

His post quickly gained traction, with many Bengaluru residents saying the situation is painfully relatable.

What used to be a simple commute has become a daily struggle that drains both energy and morale.

The viral discussion highlights a deeper truth: location can make or break a business.

When a city’s infrastructure struggles under the weight of its own growth, even the best companies can find it difficult to maintain efficiency, workplace culture, and employee wellbeing.

The Bigger Business Lesson

This story is a reminder that business success is not only about leadership, talent, or innovation.

It is also about the environment in which a company operates.

For businesses located in rapidly growing cities, factors such as transportation, infrastructure and commute times can have a direct impact on employee satisfaction, productivity and workplace culture.

Yetunde B. reports for Yettys News.