YesMadam, the Noida-based beauty service startup is in the dock after reports about the company sacking more than 100 employees after they said they were stressed out in an internal survey held recently. The move sparked outrage on social media platforms and raised serious questions regarding the commitment of the company to employee well-being.
The Survey and Subsequent Layoffs
YesMadam, in a bid to gauge the mood of employees and thereby improve the working environment, asked its employees about their levels of stress. However, what happened next has left many speechless. According to reports that have flooded the newsstands, those who responded in the affirmative about feeling stressed were sacked.
There had been an email from the HR department stating that this new initiative is designed to ensure a healthier environment at the workplace. Employees were given to understand that if they could help the company come out with this plan without leaving someone behind in stressful situations, nobody would need to feel frustrated and angry towards having taken the employee survey.
How did the employees of YesMadam react?
The decision to terminate employees for openly discussing their mental health issues has been widely criticized. Anushka Dutta, formerly a UX copywriter with YesMadam, wrote on LinkedIn about it. “It is truly inhumane,” she said while criticizing the firm for rewarding individuals for their honesty on their mental health issues by terminating them. Dutta’s post garnered much attention, and a lot of employees, both currently and previously associated with the firm, commented in line with her opinions.
“It’s ironic that a company would conduct a survey about stress and then fire those who are brave enough to admit they are struggling,” Dutta wrote. “This is not how you build a supportive workplace.”
Public Outcry and Social Media Response
The backlash against YesMadam has come sharply and very severely. Criticism is coming from all users who have labeled the layoffs as an indication of a toxic work culture. Many commentators pointed out that the irony was what piqued this company’s interest in wellness but dealt such radical blows to the people who voiced their difficulties.
Former employees have also anonymously commented on the culture of aversion to dealing with mental health. “This kind of behavior only perpetuates the stigma around mental health in the workplace,” says an anonymous former employee. “Instead of help, they chose silence for us.”
Speculation About Company Motivations
Still, ambiguous reasons surround this step of YesMadam, leaving scope for questions as to whether such layoffs genuinely aimed at changing the ambiance or were a measure of cost-cutting fictitiously covered by the guise of employee wellness. Detractors point to the fact that sacking people for the perilous conditions served to disparage the leadership and brought aspersions to longevity.
Dr. Priya Sharma, a workplace mental health specialist said: “YesMadam needs to take responsibility for its actions and address the real issues at hand. Firing employees for expressing stress is not only unethical but also counterproductive in fostering a healthy work environment.”
As YesMadam emerges out of this storm, so does the public scrutiny and scrutiny from employees; it is a grim reminder concerning the kind of workplace culture it creates in which employees’ mental health is promoted and valued rather than penalized.
Industry experts say in the wake of this controversy that companies need to focus on implementing real support systems for mental health rather than playing on people’s fears, which really blows up the morale and productivity of employees.
As these conversations on mental health and work continue to rise, the initiatives of YesMadam will ensure a case study for many startups when faced with the same situation. Hopefully, the event will encourage meaningful change in the organization and inspire others to create a culture where employees feel comfortable speaking up without fear of retribution.
