The founder of a Gurugram firm, Nikhil Rana, is facing significant outrage after firing an employee over WhatsApp for missing an event. He defended his actions on LinkedIn, stating he believes in a “no-notice period” policy, which he called a “waste of time,” sparking a fierce debate on toxic startup culture.
The founder of a Gurugram-based firm has faced considerable outrage after firing an employee via WhatsApp and refusing to put him on notice, claiming he “strongly believes” in a “no-notice period” policy. Nikhil Rana, who manages The 15, expressed his thoughts in a LinkedIn article, calling typical notice periods “theatre” and “a waste of time.” Rana discussed his recruiting style, stating that businesses require “people who take ownership,” “high-agency” individuals, and those who can “make it happen.” He went on to say that “skills have taken the last seat now” and are “commoditised.”
The post includes a screenshot from a WhatsApp chat in which an employee advised him that he would be unable to attend an event but volunteered to assist remotely.
“Hey Nikhil, I won’t be able to make it for the event today. I tried to manage it, but won’t be able to join. Let me know if there’s anything I can support with remotely,” the employee wrote, adding later, “I’ll get you everything by Monday.”
Rana’s response was brief: “Chhod do (Leave it). You’re fired. Take today as the last day. Thanks.”
Check Out Viral Post
Social Media Reactions
The message sparked widespread indignation in the comments section, with many people condemning the approach as harsh and indicative of a dysfunctional workplace culture. Constant availability should not be used to measure devotion, according to one user, who adds, “The only thing built for nonstop availability is AI, not people.”
Several others were more blunt, labelling the act as “ruthlessly toxic” and “glorified toxicity.”
One commenter said, “No-notice firing over a missed event isn’t ownership, it’s poor management and zero respect for people,” saying that great teams are founded on trust and reciprocal accountability.
As the post went viral, there was much discussion on startup work culture, including expectations of employee availability, the emphasis put on talents vs attitude, and the boundary between high-performance demands and workplace well-being.