USA: CEO who laid off 900 workers via Zoom apologizes for “communication error”

A US company specializing in mortgage loans last Wednesday laid off more than 900 of its employees, about 9% of the workforce, through a Zoom videoconference. Following the backlash against the company called Better, CEO Vishal Garg sent an internal letter, apologizing for the way it handled the layoffs.

In the video call, the CEO of Better.com told Connected Workers: “If you are on this call, you are in the unfortunate group that is going to get fired. Your employment here ends with immediate effect. “

“This is the second time in my career that I have done this and I don’t want to do it. The last time i cried”, Assured the executive in the videoconference, in which he cited productivity and results among other reasons for the departures, and that, apparently, he was concise and unemotional.

The Better.com management regretted in a statement to that channel that the layoffs take place in the run-up to the Christmas festivities but attributed them to the improvement in its financial position “in a radically evolving home ownership market”.

After the fact, Key workers such as Vice President of Communications Patrick Lenihan, Head of Public Relations Tanya Gillogley and Chief Marketing Officer Melanie Hahn submitted their resignations.

“I failed to show the appropriate level of respect and appreciation to the individuals who were affected. I am responsible for the dismissal decision, but failed to communicate it. I have embarrassed them”Says part of the apology letter leaked by a Better worker.

Garg was featured in a story in Forbes magazine last year on the back of his volatile nature and several legal battles over his management of other companies as the financial technology company prepares for an IPO.

Among other things, the article included an email that he had sent to his workers in which he told them, in capital letters, that they were “too damn slow”, He called them“stupid dolphins“And assured that they were”embarrassing”.