How a company conducts itself online can tell you a lot about its values. Sometimes, marketing campaigns that sound good on paper can backfire. Immensely. Indian home salon service company YesMadam is being called tone-deaf and is facing enormous backlash on Linkedin, in the media, and elsewhere on the internet after a supposed PR stunt went very wrong.
In a “leaked” email in a social media post, the company pretended to let go of all its employees who reported feeling overly stressed on a survey. This started a huge discussion about workplace stress, business leadership, as well as the limits of such online marketing ideas. Scroll down for the full story, including an update from YesMadam, and the internet’s reactions to the entire bizarre situation.
Bored Panda has reached out to YesMadam for clarification and further comment, and we’ll update the article as soon as we hear back from their team.
Workplace stress is a major issue affecting companies everywhere. It's a topic worth discussing, but how you approach it does matter
Image credits: Getty Images/Unsplash (not the actual photo)
One company started going viral for allegedly firing those employees who said they were stressed in a survey
Image credits: Shitiz Dogra
Naturally, many internet users were confused. Here's how they reacted as the post started making the rounds online
Work-related stress affects many young people and impacts their job performance, as well as their relationships
Image credits: Andrej Lišakov/Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Business Standard reports that 64% of Indian employees aged 21 to 30 are reporting h**h stress levels.
“The shift in workplace dynamics, the evolution of remote and hybrid work models, has had an impact on the 21-30 age demographic. To support them, organizations should prioritize regular communication and engagement. Implementing frequent pulse surveys allows us to keep a finger on the pulse of our employees' needs and challenges. We’ve also seen hosting regular webinars and company-wide programs fosters a sense of community and synergy, bridging the gap between age groups,” Jini Gopinath, chief psychology officer at YourDOST, which created the Emotional Wellness State of Employees Report, states.
However, it’s not just work that stresses young people out. Other main sources of stress that lead employees to seek counseling include self-improvement (35%) and relationship issues (33%).
Meanwhile, in the United States, workplace stress is also a major issue. As per The American Institute of Stress, 83% of US workers said that they suffer from daily work-related stress while 76% reported that workplace stress affects their personal relationships. 50% of American employees said they’re not engaged at work, which leads to a loss in productivity. And 39% revealed that their workload is the main cause of their stress.
Stress is a part of any job, but if it becomes chronic, it can affect your employees’ physical, mental, and emotional well-being. This, in turn, has a negative effect on job performance, results, and profit margins. To put it bluntly, promoting a good workplace culture and reducing stress isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s also the smart thing to do for companies.
So, when YesMadam posted about allegedly firing dozens of employees who were too stressed, it touched a nerve. Some LinkedIn professionals and internet users were immediately worried about these sorts of business practices. Others were confused and thought it had to be satire. Still, others thought that it may have been a PR stunt to draw attention to the company in any way possible. The topic got a lot of attention in the media.
The company's social media posts got a lot of mixed reactions, raising some very important questions
Image credits: Getty Images/Unsplash (not the actual photo)
YesMadam’s team later posted on LinkedIn and its other social media accounts that they haven’t actually fired anyone. “We sincerely apologize for any distress caused by recent social media posts suggesting we dismissed employees for being stressed,” the team writes.
“Let us be clear: We would never take such an inhuman step. Our team is like family, and their dedication, hard work, and passion are the foundation of all our successes.”
As per YesMadam, their earlier social media posts were a “planned effort to highlight the serious issue of workplace stress.” The team then thanked everyone who shared angry comments and voiced strong opinions. “When people speak up, it shows they care,” the team claims.
The company then noted that instead of firing their employees, they did the opposite. They gave them a break, encouraged them to “release their stress,” given a chance to relax, and urged them to “rest and recharge.”
They then shared that they’ve introduced a new ‘Happy 2 Heal’ corporate program offering head massages and spa sessions at the workplace, as well as the ‘De-Stress Leave Policy’ giving staff 6 paid annual mental health days off and complimentary spa sessions at home.
However, not everyone was convinced that this was the right way to tackle questions like stress, burnout, productivity, and blurred lines between work and leisure. Many internet users suggested that there were more sensitive ways to talk about these serious issues instead of causing outrage and panic.
A few internet users thought that the company may have intended to fire their employees and pivoted at the last moment after the backlash. But others were impressed by the bold marketing approach.
What are your thoughts on this entire situation, dear Pandas? Do you think what the company did was worth criticizing or was it an innovative way to garner attention on the internet? What do you think the limits for PR stunts should be? What does your company do to help reduce stress at work? Let us know in the comments!
Things weren't quite what they seemed. After the backlash, the company put out an online post explaining what they did and why
Many professionals and internet users were shocked by this approach to marketing
