Indian home salon startup YesMadam has come under fire after laying off more than 100 employees after they admitted to an internal mental health survey that they were experiencing stress at work. The company has decided to relieve them of their stress and their jobs.
Indian home salon startup YesMadam has come under fire after laying off more than 100 employees after they admitted to an internal mental health survey that they were experiencing stress at work. The company has decided to relieve them of their stress and their jobs.
According to one former employee, during the survey, employees were asked about their stress levels at work. Soon after, employees who admitted to experiencing significant stress received termination emails, the Times of India reported.
«What’s going on at YesMadam? First you do a random survey and then you fire us at night because we’re stressed? And it’s not just me — 100 other people were also fired,» said one of the fired employees.
A former UX copywriter at the company shared what the termination email looked like. It starts with a thank you for taking the survey, but then the tone of the email changes.
«To ensure that no one experiences stress at work, we have taken the difficult decision to part ways with employees who indicated significant stress,» HR manager Ashu Arora Jha said, adding that the decision is «effective immediately.»
The company assured the affected employees that they would receive further information separately. Despite this, the decision has drawn sharp criticism, with many questioning the ethics of firing employees for speaking out about their concerns instead of addressing workplace stress.
Critics have called the move senseless and counterproductive. «Firing employees for reporting stress is not just ironic, it’s a complete disregard for employee well-being. Instead of addressing the root causes of stress, it sends a clear message: ‘Your mental health is none of our business: ‘Your mental health is none of our business.’ Companies should prioritize solutions, not silence employees,» wrote one social media user.
Others suggested that the incident was a marketing ploy gone wrong. «If this is a marketing strategy, then it has terrible consequences. If not, then it is a disturbing display of poor management. Either way, YesMadam will not escape the consequences,» another user commented.
Some expressed deep disappointment, highlighting the betrayal felt by employees who spoke out about their struggles only to be fired. «This is heartbreaking. Imagine finally being honest about your stress and instead of being supported, you get fired. This is the worst response to a mental health survey,» one user shared.
The incident has sparked a wide-ranging debate about workplace ethics, mental health, and employer responsibility. While YesMadam has yet to make an official statement, criticism continues to mount, with many calling for companies to adopt more humane approaches to employee well-being.
Previously, Sandra Milosevic, who works in engineering, product development, and design, has over eight years in the tech industry, and is a former employee of Uber and Snap, told how the first negative review of her work affected her.
