UNIQLO Responds After Employees Flood Its IG Post With Toxic Workplace Allegations
The comments paint a troubling picture of UNIQLO Malaysia's internal work culture.
By Sadho Ram — 22 Jan 2025, 06:01 PM
UNIQLO Malaysia has issued a brief statement to SAYS following a wave of comments from current and former employees on an official Instagram post, alleging a toxic workplace environment
The comments were posted under a post on 17 January, which was intended to promote a Chinese New Year sale. However, the post quickly became a platform for both current and former staff to voice grievances about unfair treatment, claims of favouritism, and issues related to work-life balance.
Screenshot of the promotional post by UNIQLO, with one of the comments by a former employee highlighted.
Image via @uniqlomyofficial (Instagram)Some even described instances of gaslighting, unfair disciplinary action, and an apparent lack of empathy from management. At the time of writing, the post has been flooded with almost 3,400 comments.
One employee recounted how they had informed their senior manager about their annual leave three months in advance, only to have it "disapproved" a week before their scheduled time off.
Despite already purchasing a flight ticket, the employee claims they were blamed for the last-minute request, and accused of being inconsiderate to their team.
The staff member further criticised the company's HR department, alleging that it prioritises protecting the company rather than listening to employee concerns.
"The HR was really shady. They never listen to you. They will find a way to blame you," they said, describing their experience of working at the clothing apparel company as a "gaslighting" scenario.
Another employee shared their frustrations over a warning received after their motorcycle broke down on the way to work. Despite informing their supervisor in advance, they were reprimanded for being late.
"In the verbal warning letter section, I wrote that next time, before going to work, I'll ask my motorcycle whether it wants to break down or not so I won't be late," they sarcastically commented, outlining a series of unfair disciplinary actions they had faced during their seven years of service with the company.
More concerning allegations surfaced as another employee revealed an incident where their manager allegedly contacted a clinic to inquire about the details of their medical visit.
"Why did you delete my comment stating that your manager called the clinic?" the employee asked, accusing the company of attempting to cover up the actions of its management.
Another worker described being called "bossy" on their second day of work simply for asking to sit down after standing for long periods.
Further complaints involved personal emergencies being ignored by the management.
One comment detailed an employee who was unable to take emergency leave when their spouse's car broke down, despite notifying their supervisor early. The employee was still penalised for being late, which raised questions about the inflexibility and lack of empathy within the company.
"Despite communicating early and explaining the situation, I'm still going to get a counselling letter for being late? What's the point of communicating if I'm penalised anyway?" they expressed.
In response to the allegations, UNIQLO Malaysia issued a statement acknowledging the concerns raised by its employees
"UNIQLO is committed to ensuring a fair, transparent, and respectful workplace for all employees. We take seriously any feedback we receive from employees," the statement read.
When pressed for further clarification, a senior PR individual told SAYS that UNIQLO is "aware [of] this matter, and [is] currently liaising with the client on this".
As of now, no specific measures have been outlined to address the issues raised in the comments.
