The boss of a US mortgage company who fired 900 employees during a Zoom call has apologised, saying he 'blundered the execution' and 'embarrassed' those affected. Vishal Garg, chief executive of Better.com, expressed deep regret in a letter published on the firm's website, acknowledging he had failed to show respect and appreciation for the workers.
Mr Garg faced widespread criticism after a recording of the call went viral on social media, where he told staff: 'If you're on this call you're part of the unlucky group being laid off. Your employment here is terminated. Effective immediately.' The redundancies were described as 'cold' and 'harsh', particularly close to Christmas.
In his apology, Mr Garg said he was 'deeply sorry' and committed to learning from the experience. He admitted that 'the way I communicated this news made a difficult situation worse'. The New York-based start-up, which plans to float on the stock market, had previously confirmed it would cut about 15% of its workforce due to market changes, efficiency, and performance reasons.
Employment experts in the UK noted that such a process would not be legal under British law. Rachel Suff, senior policy adviser at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, pointed out that UK employers must consult with staff for at least 30 days—or 45 days if more than 100 people are made redundant—and must consider alternative roles. 'It is about being able to leave with your dignity and respect intact,' she said.
Ms Suff also criticised Mr Garg's focus on his own feelings during the call, where he mentioned crying during a previous round of layoffs. 'Who's losing their job here? It was very rich, talking about the impact on himself—what about them?' she added.
