The edtech firm BYJU’S has now closed its Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) office as part of an ongoing downsizing process, a week after announcing major layoffs.
BYJU’S has given the disappointed staff a month to relocate “options” to move their base to Bengaluru to stem the backlash from the exercise.
A BYJU’S spokesperson reported to a news panel and said, “In this ongoing organizational restructuring for profitable growth, BYJU’S is attempting to offer relevant relocation opportunities to the affected employees.”
“In this regard, while we are discontinuing our Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram) operations to reduce redundancy, we are also offering the entire Trivandrum team an opportunity to relocate to Bengaluru,” he continued.
Minister announces to investigate
BYJU’S made its statement in reaction to Kerala’s labour minister V Sivankutty’s announcement that the state would investigate BYJU’S after several employees met with Sivankutty and explained their position to him.
The workers said that as it ceased operations, the edtech firm forced more than 170 employees to resign.
It’s interesting to note that BYJU’S claimed 140 employees in Thiruvananthapuram would be affected by the restructuring.
The Minister took his official Facebook page and wrote, “The employees of Byju’s app from Technopark Thiruvananthapuram had come to see me. The employees have many grievances, including job loss. The Labour Department will conduct a serious investigation in this regard.”
The edtech company, BYJU’S claims to have provided relocation alternatives, but a local community digital media platform claimed that the company was “enforcing forced resignation” on its staff.
The welfare organization for techies requested the Minister’s help in formulating an exit strategy that satisfies all of the grievances of the affected individuals.
According to the edtech, as part of the exercise, it provided extended health insurance benefits, outplacement help, and garden leave to the affected staff as part of a “generous” leaving package.
An “opportunity” to be hired again by BYJU’S within the following 12 months at any operational center in India is also allegedly included in the purported parting deal.
BYJU’S restructuring is affecting the employees
Over 2,500 employees from BYJU’S’ product, content, media, and technology departments were let go last week as part of the company’s effort to turn a profit by the end of the current fiscal year 2022–23. (FY23).
Before that, it had let go of around 300 workers at WhiteHat Jr in June, followed by another 350+ layoffs at Toppr. Over half (4,000+) of the overall 7,000+ layoffs in the edtech sector has been caused by BYJUs alone.
Although the firm has reported offering a generous and progressive exit package’ to all employees who are facing issues by its move to discontinue operations in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram, meanwhile, BYJU’S has confirmed that 140 employees were affected due to restructuring.