Labor law: A real Scrooge: the CEO lays off 900 employees during a Zoom call. Employers can learn from its missteps. | Economic news
Margarita M. Phillips
2 min read
RTD Metro Business Law Columnist Karen Michael.
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By KAREN MICHAEL Special Envoy
Layoffs occur. They are difficult, heartbreaking and disturbing for everyone involved, but sometimes organizations have no other choice.
During a layoff, there are certain standards that organizations follow to account for the emotional burden that layoffs have on employees.
But that was not the case for Vishal Garg, CEO of online mortgage lender Better.com, who announced the layoff of 900 employees on Dec. 1 during a Zoom call in a way many described as unresponsive and unresponsive. hypocritical.
“If you’re on this call, you’re part of the unlucky group that’s being laid off,†Garg said on the Zoom call. “Your employment here is terminated with immediate effect. “
The Better.com CEO didn’t listen to advisers on how to properly communicate layoffs, received bad advice, or cared enough to seek it out.
If you need to lay off employees, here are some considerations:
1. Be sincere: The CEO of Better.com focused on himself and the difficulty for him.
His demeanor on the Zoom call was cold and factual. You just have to watch the video to cringe and it’s embarrassing.
It is unimaginable that employees have received notice of termination – out of the blue – in this hypocritical, impersonal and reckless manner.
