“If you call someone ‘family,’ treat them like family,” a CEO from Bengaluru lived up to. Harsh Pokharna, the founder and CEO of OKCredit, helped 70 workers find new jobs while firing them due to financial restrictions. Pokharna shared his experience managing the procedure on LinkedIn, which has received a lot of positive feedback online. The CEO described it as one of the most difficult things he has ever done in a thorough post.
We let go of seventy employees eighteen months ago. It went like this: There was too much fire in us. recruited too quickly. It was our error. We also had it. It was among the most difficult things I have ever done as a startup. However, he wrote, “We tried to do it the right way.”
He said that three months’ notice was given to the staff and that they were briefed on the decision one-on-one. Provided assistance with job leads, introductions, and referrals—anything that could be of use. Prior to the end of the notice period, sixty-seven were placed. He said, “We gave two months’ extra salary for the three who didn’t.”
The CEO compared this to the current layoffs in the tech sector, saying that many workers received emails informing them of their termination rather than a phone call. That is not human. Layoffs do occur. However, how you respond to them reveals a lot about your society. You signed up for this when you became a founder, and I know it’s difficult to have these discussions. He emphasized that if you refer to someone as “family” when you hire them, you should also treat them as such when you fire them.
Social media users responded enthusiastically to the tweet, praising the CEO’s efforts.
“Respect for managing it properly. “More leaders ought to emulate this model,” a user and CEO wrote.
This serves as a potent reminder of what it means to be a real leader. “I admire how you handled this, and it serves as a template for all of us who want to create a culture that prioritizes people,” stated another co-founder.
Sadly, a lot of businesses treat their employees horribly when they lay them off. Everyone should be treated with dignity, in my opinion, especially during difficult times. That is the kind of respect that counts. One startup CFO wrote, “You did great.”