“This Decision Is Effective Immediately” — Company Gives Workers Stress Survey Then Does Something Unexpected When They Say They’re Stressed

In a move that has drawn widespread criticism, the Indian tech company Yes Madam reportedly fired employees shortly after conducting a survey asking if they were feeling stressed.

The incident gained traction online when screenshots of an HR email announcing the layoffs surfaced on LinkedIn and Twitter, sparking debates about workplace culture and corporate ethics.

Amidst the backlash, Yes Madam revealed that the whole thing was a publicity stunt to raise awareness for workplace stress and says they never actually fired anyone.

But many netizens believe Yes Madam is only backtracking to save face after the overwhelming public response.

Employees were led to believe the survey aimed to gauge their well-being

The controversy began when employees at Yes Madam, a home service platform, were asked in a company-wide survey to share whether they were feeling stressed at work.

According to reports, workers were led to believe the survey aimed to gauge employee well-being and potentially implement solutions to address workplace stress.

However, many of those who expressed stress were soon laid off, raising questions about the company’s intentions.

The now-viral email from Yes Madam’s HR department appeared to confirm the dismissals.

In the email, the company suggested that the terminations were tied to employees’ inability to handle workplace challenges.

“We noticed that you are unable to handle work stress,” the message reportedly read, adding that this was incompatible with the company’s expectations for high performance.

The email concluded by thanking the employees for their service and wishing them luck in future endeavors.

People were outraged when news of the firing hit the internet

Public backlash was swift, with critics accusing Yes Madam of using the survey as a pretext for layoffs under the guise of concern for employee well-being.

Many have called the move unethical, pointing out that the survey seemed to invite openness only to punish those who participated honestly.

OMG.

Yes Madam said: Tell us how you feel – Are you stressed?

Worker: Well, since you asked… yes, kinda stressed.

Yes Madam: A stress-free working environment is important….but you aint gonna get that round here hoe. Get cracking. Be gone https://t.co/Ijs3KIeJOS pic.twitter.com/1vq8Qncxw2

— vacczina 💉🇧🇲🇲🇸🇰🇳🇯🇲 (@zinamalcolm) December 9, 2024

“This sets a terrible precedent,” one user commented on social media. “It discourages employees from sharing genuine concerns in the future, which is the opposite of fostering a healthy work environment.”

Experts on workplace culture have weighed in, criticizing Yes Madam’s handling of the situation.

Suzanne Lucas, a workplace columnist, highlighted the dissonance between the company’s supposed intent to address stress and its actions.

“Employees need to trust their organizations to care about their well-being, not fear retaliation when they share concerns,” Lucas wrote in Inc..

The timing of the layoffs also drew attention.

With growing awareness of mental health issues in the workplace, organizations are increasingly expected to prioritize employee wellness.

Many companies have introduced policies like flexible hours, access to counseling services, and stress management programs.

In this context, Yes Madam’s actions have been interpreted by some as a step backward.

“No one was fired at YesMadam!” The company says the whole thing was a stunt to raise awareness for stress in the workplace — but many netizens aren’t buying it

In a tweet posted December 10, Yes Madam issued an important update.

The company says that no employees were fired after the survey. Rather, they were “given a break to reset.”

Many readers doubted the company’s update and believe they are backtracking in wake of the viral backlash.

One Twitter user replied that the language in the original email could hardly be interpreted as anything other than a firing.

“If that was the intention than why use the wording of ‘part ways’ and ‘effective immediately??'” they wrote.

Another added: “When you try to lay off employees but the internet lays into you harder, and now it’s ‘just a stunt’—yeah, sure, the stunt was underestimating social media outrage. Next time, try a plot twist we can believe.”

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