Better.com CEO Vishal Garg apologises for 'blundering' of mass layoffs

Better.com Ceo Vishal Garg, who has received a barrage of criticism for laying off 900 employees over a Zoom call, has reportedly written an apology mail to the current staffers. In the mail, the CEO has apologised for the way he mishandled the layoffs, adding that he blundered in the execution of communicating the decision.

The mail has been leaked on social media by a Better.com employee. "I failed to show the appropriate amount of respect and appreciation for the individuals who were affected, and for their contributions to Better. I own the decision to do the layoffs, but in communicating it, I blundered the execution. In doing so, I embarrassed you," Garg wrote.

Garg has been in the eye of the storm since he fired 9% of the company's total workforce on a Zoom call. The CEO of a mortgage unicorn worth an estimated $6.9 billion blamed the terminated staffers for the sacking, saying that the laying off was due to their 'underperformance'.

"If you're on this call, you are part of the unlucky group that is being laid off," he said on the call. He called the terminated employees "a bunch of slackers who only worked two hours a day and were stealing from the company".

He then said employees could expect an email from the Human Resource department, detailing benefits and severance. "This is the second time in my career I'm doing this and I do not want to do this. The last time I did it, I cried," Garg said on the call. Among those fired were the diversity, equity, and inclusion recruiting team.

Yesterday, Indian business tycoon Harsh Goenka also condemned Garg's mass layoff decision on Twitter. The RPG Enterprises chairman wrote, “My heart went out to the 900 employees sacked through Zoom by Vishal Garg. Totally wrong! Do it on a one on one basis. And in person. And not before Christmas and after a $750 million recent infusion. This is how Corporates get a heartless tag!".