At Zomato, if we expect people to put in their all when we need to, why should we be stingy when they need some time off? People are driven enough to work Saturdays (and Sundays, if required). You just email your team if you aren’t going to be at work, just in case someone comes looking for you. Which is exactly what [redacted] from our Lebanon team did.

EXCEPT, she accidentally sent a selfie that was meant to go to someone else (guess who?)…to the entire team (though she did try to create a story that sounded even somewhat plausible).

The picture (obviously) warranted a reply. And the rest of Zomato Lebanon wasted no time getting in on the fun – even from their cars…

…which was the origin of team Lebanon’s new policy: If you’re unwell, you’ve got to prove it:

So as far as milestones in the history of the selfie go:

2013 – the word “selfie” was the Oxford English Dictionary’s Word of the Year.

2014 – Ellen DeGeneres’ Oscar selfie got more than 3 million retweets.

2015 – The selfie becomes the (un)official way to call in sick at Zomato.

This new tradition of sick-selfies will undoubtedly be passed on from one Zoman to the next. Whether these pictures succeed in simply putting a smile on the team’s face for a few seconds, or help them bond in a moment they share, small things like these do their bit to shape the culture of a company. The workplace slowly becomes an experience bound by fun and friendship. And being sick can actually be a little less depressing.

P.S. In case you were wondering, this isn’t an official policy. We’re probably just too fun for our own good.