A seemingly routine action has ignited a workplace debate online. An employee recently turned to Reddit after being subtly rebuked by a senior colleague for viewing their LinkedIn profile — a move the employee believed was completely normal. The incident has gone viral, prompting a heated discussion about what constitutes acceptable behaviour on professional platforms.
The Redditor explained that they simply visited the senior’s LinkedIn page without sending a message or a connection request. Later that day, they were met with passive-aggressive remarks suggesting their actions were inappropriate or intrusive. Taken aback, the employee questioned whether such behaviour could really be considered a breach of workplace norms — especially on a platform designed for professional visibility and networking.
The post quickly drew significant attention, with many users pointing out that viewing profiles is a standard practice on LinkedIn — often done to learn more about colleagues’ roles, responsibilities, and career journeys, particularly in large or global organisations. Some shared their own experiences of routinely looking up coworkers, seniors, and even members of the leadership team in preparation for meetings or simply to put a face to a name.
Some contributors attributed the senior’s reaction to insecurity or a fear of scrutiny, while others called it a reflection of a toxic workplace culture. A few even joked that the senior probably had a LinkedIn Premium account, which shows detailed profile viewership.
The episode underscores a curious tension in modern professional etiquette. Although platforms like LinkedIn encourage openness and connection-building, the boundary between curiosity and intrusion can sometimes become blurred — particularly in hierarchical workplace settings. The majority of users agreed that looking up a colleague’s profile is not only normal but expected in today’s workplace, where networking and collaboration are key.
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