Latest news with #GoZero
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Ghosted after payday? Mumbai startup founder's viral post sparks storm over work culture and employee ethics
Kiran Shah , the founder of Mumbai-based startup Market Fit@Go Zero , found himself at the center of a heated LinkedIn storm after posting a candid message about employees who allegedly 'ghosted' the company right after payday. His frustration? That some team members waited to receive their salaries on the 1st of the month, only to resign without a word the very next day. This shift to early-month salary payments, implemented in December 2023 to ease employees' financial burdens, unexpectedly created a trend that Shah described as not just disruptive—but indicative of deeper professional ethics. In his post, Shah didn't mince his words: 'Don't ghost your employer once you get the salary… Do it in a professional way that doesn't burn bridges.' From Empathy to Outrage: A Founder's Candid Take Shah emphasized that his intent in advancing salary credit dates was rooted in empathy. He recalled his startup's earlier policy of paying salaries on the 10th or 15th, a common practice in bootstrapped firms. But when employees shared that the delay caused financial strain, he changed it to the 1st of the month. Ironically, it's after this shift that a few employees—exactly three, by his count—exited silently the very day salaries hit accounts. 'Of course it hampers operations,' Shah wrote, 'but I won't revert to the old system just because of a few such dumb folks. That would go against the culture I'm trying to build.' While some praised him for raising concerns around professional decency, others were far less forgiving. In a candid LinkedIn post, Shah described how four employees quit the very day they received their salaries — without notice, without explanation. (Screenshot: LinkedIn/Kiran Shah) Critics Clap Back: Is Timely Pay a Privilege or a Right? Shah's post—initially meant to reflect on the values of communication and professionalism—was quickly interpreted by many as an attempt to guilt employees for exercising their right to resign. One user shot back, 'Receiving salaries on time is not a favour, it's a right.' Others questioned the startup's HR practices and suggested that the real issue was not the mode of exit but the reasons prompting such exits in the first place. You Might Also Like: Can posting regularly on LinkedIn boost your job prospects? A career coach thinks so, but netizens beg to differ 'Worry less about how they're leaving and more about why,' another commenter offered, calling attention to what could be deeper organizational issues that make employees disengage silently. A Second Post, a Clarification, and a Cultural Reflection Faced with criticism and misinterpretation, Shah followed up with another post to set the record straight. He clarified that only three people had resigned unprofessionally, while others—such as a core team member—had left on good terms, even amid crucial business periods. He addressed accusations of toxic work culture by pointing to Go Zero's zero-layoff history, lean team size, and a culture of respect. 'I've fired people when needed, but always communicated expectations clearly,' he said. He also lamented how media and social media alike often choose sensation over substance. But beyond HR policies and exit etiquette, Shah's reflection turned philosophical. 'Culture,' he said, 'is misunderstood in India. Most workers care more about stability, dignity, and meaningful work than offsites and perks. That's the culture I strive to nurture.' You Might Also Like: Marketing professor's hilarious LinkedIn comment on alma mater IIM Ahmedabad will leave you in splits. Netizens call him 'legend' Beyond Go Zero: A Mirror to Modern Workplaces While Kiran Shah's post may have sparked criticism, support, and trolling in equal measure, it struck a nerve that many employers and employees today grapple with: what defines a professional exit ? Is giving notice a duty or a courtesy? And when founders publicly air grievances, does it reflect transparency—or managerial fragility? In an age where hustle culture, quiet quitting, and evolving workplace dynamics collide, Shah's experience offers a revealing look into the growing pains of startups—and the fragile trust that binds teams together. Whether you're the boss or the beginner, one thing is clear: how you enter and exit a workplace says as much about the organization as it does about you.
NDTV
3 days ago
- Business
- NDTV
Mumbai Founder Criticises Employees Quitting After Payday, Internet Reacts
Kiran Shah, the founder of Mumbai-based startup GoZero, is facing backlash for his LinkedIn post criticising employees who resign shortly after receiving their salaries. In his post, Mr Shah shared he recently changed his company's pay date for employees from the 10th of every month to the 1st. However, he said some of his employees misused this policy and resigned the moment the salary was credited, and didn't show up to work the next day. "I used to give salaries on the 10th of the next month. A lot of startups I know do the same. Some even give on 15th of the next month. I realised this causes a lot of inconvenience to the team who has outgoings in the 1st week. From December 2023, I changed the salary payment date to 1st of every month," Mr Shah wrote on LinkedIn. "And while most of them are exceptionally loyal towards the mission, there are an unfortunate few who misuse this and resign the moment we credit the salary on 1st and don't show up to work the next day. This has happened yesterday, the 4th incident overall since I moved the salary processing from 10th to 1st," he continued. The entrepreneur assured that the incidents would not affect his decision to change the payday policy. "If i start penalizing the entire team for a couple of such dumb folks, then it puts a question mark on the culture I am building at GZ," he wrote. "However, to all the folks out there - don't ghost your employer once you get the salary. If you are not happy with the work or remuneration or boss or founder or colleagues or location or any damn thing, have a communication with your manager. Or even the founder - I am super approachable to anyone in the org. But do it in a professional way that doesn't burn bridges," he advised the employees. Mr Shah's post has gone viral on social media, sparking outrage among people. Several users labelled his post as "tone deaf". "Some companies somehow feel they do a favour if they disburse salary on 1st let's wake up and smell the coffee it's being done for ages now and in case of MNCs last working day of the month. Focus more on reasons why the employees are absconding and fix those," commented one user. "Receiving salaries on time is the right of every employee, most start ups these days are exploiting employees by expecting them to work extra hours in light of the "hustle culture" and still end up not receiving their salaries. Such startups need to have proper HR processes in place. The problem is much bigger than setting up a credit date," wrote another. "I am missing the connection here between the date of pay and not showing up the next day after receiving the salary. Changing pay date DOES NOT solve for not showing up the next day. It only gives you a leverage over the employees to not leave without serving notice period as the employees wouldn't get paid for the 10/15 days of the month, which in itself doesn't reflect a great culture. So you are right in not going back to the old pay cycle due to a few who are misusing it. I just dont understand the message you are trying to convey," said third user.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
‘Don't ghost after salary': IIM-educated Mumbai founder's rant on employees quitting after payday sparks backlash
A LinkedIn post by the founder of Go Zero has sparked outrage online after he criticised employees who resigned shortly after receiving their salaries. The IIM-educated Mumbai entrepreneur, Kiran Shah, said he changed the payday date for his employees from the 10th of every month to the 1st. His post, besides being labelled as 'tone deaf' by many, sparked outrage among people. 'I used to give salaries on the 10th of the next month. A lot of startups I know do the same. Some even give on 15th of the next month. I realised this causes a lot of inconvenience to the team who has outgoings in the 1st week. From December 2023, I changed the salary payment date to 1st of every month,' he wrote on LinkedIn, adding his reason behind this shift. 'And while most of them are exceptionally loyal towards the mission, there are an unfortunate few who misuse this and resign the moment we credit the salary on 1st and don't show up to work the next day. This has happened yesterday, the 4th incident overall since I moved the salary processing from 10th to 1st,' Shah continued. He assured that the incidents would not affect his decision to change the payday, adding, 'If I start penalising the entire team for a couple of such dumb folks, then it puts a question mark on the culture I am building at GZ.' 'However, to all the folks out there - don't ghost your employer once you get the salary. If you are not happy with the work or remuneration or boss or founder or colleagues or location or any damn thing, have a communication with your manager. Or even the founder - I am super approachable to anyone in the org. But do it in a professional way that doesn't burn bridges,' he advised the employees. An individual posted, 'Receiving salaries on time is the right of every employee. Most startups these days exploit employees by expecting them to work extra hours in light of the 'hustle culture' and still not receiving their salaries. Such startups need to have proper HR processes in place. The problem is much bigger than setting up a credit date.' Another added, 'Kiran Shah, the employee can leave on the 11th as well (considering your earlier salary disbursement of the 10th). I'm not sure how that helps in retention. Some companies somehow feel they do a favour if they disburse salary on 1st. Let's wake up and smell the coffee. It's been done for ages now, and in the case of MNCs, it's the last working day of the month. Focus more on reasons why the employees are absconding and fix those.' A third expressed, 'I've always upheld the 5th of each month as the salary payout date, without deviation, since the beginning—even while being bootstrapped. For me, it's about responsibility and trust. If someone has worked for you through the month, regardless of performance or other factors, paying them is not a favour—it's your obligation. Whether someone chooses to stay or leave is their decision, but consistency and fairness in how we treat people shouldn't waver. Frankly, if salary dates become a point of negotiation or uncertainty, it reflects a culture of insecurity—which is far more concerning to me.' A fourth wrote, 'I would never work at a company that pays later than 1st. My past employers used to pay on the 25th of the same month.' According to his LinkedIn bio, Shah completed his undergraduate degree at DJ Sanghvi College of Engineering. He then pursued a Postgraduate Diploma from the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow.
