“The darkest day of my corporate career,” recalled a founder who once had to fire 25 employees on the very same day. In a recent LinkedIn post, he shared the pain of the process and the story behind it.
The social media post is now doing rounds on the Internet.
Sampark Sachdeva, founder and CEO, revealed that the organisation was navigating a challenging phase, and he was tasked with delivering difficult news to employees one by one. Although he didn’t select who would be affected, he had to sit across from each person and convey a decision that would profoundly impact their lives.
“Told To Keep It Cold”
Sharing one moment that stayed with him, Sachdeva wrote, “I saw the tear form at the corner of her eyes. And then, snap, it dropped. She was a single mother, sitting across the table. And I had to say the golden words we were trained to say, ‘Today is your last day.’”
He went on to add, “Back-to-back. One after the other. Each with a story, a home, a life that would be disrupted that evening. We were told to keep it cold. No emotion. No softening of the blow. No ‘I’m sorry’ because that could be construed as accepting blame.”
“It Wasn’t Personal”
Sachdeva emphasised that the layoffs were not his personal decision. “It wasn’t personal. I didn’t even pick the names,” he explained. But that didn’t make it any easier.
“Try telling that to a father of two. To someone who just took a home loan. To the girl who had moved cities for this role,” he continued.
One of the employees even reminded him of their earlier conversation, telling him, “Sir, you had hired me. You were here, so I stayed. Today, you are asking me to go, so I will go.”
“For First Time, I Cried At Work”
Recalling what happened after the process, Sachdeva wrote, “Once it was all over, I stepped out of the office. And for the first time, I cried at work. I tried my best to hide it from the remaining team members. But the lump in the throat wouldn’t go. That whole night, I couldn’t sleep.”
He admitted that in that moment, he did not feel like a leader. “That day, I didn’t feel like a leader. I felt like a number. A face delivering a system’s decision. And yet, I carried their faces with me long after,” the CEO wrote.
The memory is still fresh for Sachdeva. He shared, “Corporate life teaches us resilience. But it must also teach us compassion. Because behind every role is a life. And behind every termination is a story that deserves dignity.”
He also urged managers to be mindful of the impact their words have, saying, “Know that your words stay longer in people’s lives than you think. And sometimes, what you don’t say matters just as much.”
How Post Resonated With People
Sachdeva’s post has drawn widespread attention on social media, with many sharing their thoughts in the comments section.
A user commented, “The weight of delivering news that changes lives is immense, and it underscores how leadership roles carry emotional responsibility beyond business outcomes.”
Another said, “This is the sad reality. It can happen to anyone. Not personal but very personal. Job runs families. Effective planning, saving and replanning is the key. If it happens… move on.”
“Some leadership decisions are hard and, in some cases, outside of our control too. As helpless as it is, it helps to show some empathy even when it’s not the best thing to do,” someone else added.
“Compassion is quite important. Toughest time reveals true leadership style,” read another comment.
Layoffs And Impact
The discussion around layoffs and their emotional impact is not limited to one company or leader. Similar experiences have been shared by employees across industries and big tech firms as well. In May, Microsoft announced that it would cut about 3 per cent of its global workforce, which impacted more than 6,800 roles.
An employee, who said she had been with Microsoft for over seven years, recounted the moment she realised she was part of the layoffs. She revealed, “POV: I was laid off today from MSFT. I had a last-minute meeting added to my calendar by my skip and was spiralling, trying to figure out the agenda. FY26 priorities? Reorg? Once an unfamiliar face joined the call, I quickly realised I too was a part of the Microsoft layoffs.”
Despite the setback, she expressed gratitude for her time at the company, especially her last two years, which she said were spent working on areas she was personally passionate about.
