Harsh Pokharna, CEO and founder of OKCredit, is receiving special appreciation for his transparent and thoughtful approach in helping 67 out of 70 employees of his company get new jobs. He took this step during the layoff of employees due to budget constraints in the company, and handled the entire process empathetically and sensitively. Harsh Pokharna recently shared his company’s layoff process in a LinkedIn post. He explained how OKCredit laid off 70 employees 18 months ago and acknowledged the reasons behind it. He wrote, “We had hired employees too fast, which was our mistake. This was one of the toughest things I have done as a founder, but we were trying to do it the right way.”
Pokharna also clarified that the company personally contacted the affected employees and ensured transparent communication with them. In addition, OKCredit provided referrals, introductions, and job opportunities to employees to support their career transition. This resulted in 67 employees finding new positions before their notice period ended. He also revealed that the 3 employees who were unable to find new jobs were given 2 months of additional salary.
Layoffs in the industry and OKCredit’s approach
Harsh Pokharna compared the layoffs happening in the tech industry today to OKCredit’s approach. He highlighted that more than 120,000 people were laid off this year, but many employees were informed via email or Slack messages without any personal communication. He said, “It’s inhumane. Layoffs happen, but how it’s handled reflects your company culture.”
He further added, “If you call someone ‘family’ when you hire them, treat them like family when you let them go.” This message pointed to his thoughtful and empathetic leadership, which reflects a strong and positive attitude towards employees.
Appreciation on social media
Harsh Pokharna’s post was widely appreciated on social media. Many users praised him and said that such respectful behavior with employees shows the real power of a leader. One user commented, “I always thought that money will come and go in life, but anyone working with us should have a pleasant experience. Be it a customer, supplier, domestic staff or team. We should have a positive influence on each other.” Another said, “This is a very mature and respectful way of dealing with people. Cowardly leaders hide behind their mistakes and blame it on employees due to their incompetence.” A third user wrote, “You did the right thing by supporting them in finding new opportunities. Hats off to you.”
Harsh Pokharna’s Leadership
This situation of Harsh Pokharna proves that the leadership of a founder or CEO is defined not only by the decisions within the company but also by the relationships with the employees. The way he handled his company’s layoffs with transparency and empathy shows his leadership skills and sets a model for other companies.
