‘Firing As Important As Hiring’
The CEO of a tech company has sparked a heated debate on social media after his controversial comments on “firing employees”.
Andreas Roettl, CEO of Journi, a tech firm utilizing artificial intelligence for photo printing, recently took to LinkedIn highlight the importance of teaching managers how to effectively terminate employees.
“‘I am really good at firing people…says no one ever. But we should! Because firing is as important as hiring. Yet it is a topic most people avoid. We don’t want to be fired, we don’t want to fire others. The thing is: Firing is as necessary and deserves the same attention as hiring. Firing will keep your team happy and strong. Firing will save your team spirit and culture. At Journi, we focus on training our leads to become good at letting people go. And you should do that too”, he wrote in his post.
He further outlived his own company’s approach to leadership training, which included utilizing early warning systems akin to a soccer game to evaluate employee performance.
Read the full post below:
LinkedIn users respond:
At a time of ongoing debates on both Indian and international work culture, the Journi CEO’s post provoked a heated response on LinkedIn.
In particular, it sparked criticism among the majority of colleagues users, who understandably believed that his approach was both insensitive and tone-deaf.
“Firing yourself from your post as CEO. Charity begins at home; ain’t it?” a comment read.
“I don’t think this completely tone-deaf post is anywhere near the flex you think it is, dude,” another user added.
Another user raised concerns about mass layoffs which could be associated with underperformance.
However, some users agreed with the sentiment, stating that while firing may be difficult, it is important to maintain team strength.
CEO Responds to Controversy:
In response to the backlash, Roettl took to LinkedIn once again to clarify his stance.
“I’m sorry if I hurt someone… but rest assured that the main message is that we have to praise and protect all of you guys doing a great job at Journi,” he wrote.
He also shared statistics to support his position, claiming that his 80-member company had a 5% turnover rate in the past 12 months and only laid off 12 employees during that time.
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