Indian founder on why firing 3 employees in a month was the right move: ‘Sounds backward, but…’

In a LinkedIn post, Vedika Bhaia shared how firing three employees and making small culture shifts improved staff retention at her agency.

A Mumbai-based entrepreuneur shared how her agency’s work culture improved after she made some bold changes, including letting three employees go in the same month.

Vedika Bhaia, the founder of Growth Square and Social Capital, shared simple ways she brought back the team vibe in her agency. (@vedikabhaia/Instagram)

In a LinkedIn post, Vedika Bhaia, the founder of Growth Square and Social Capital, mentions that last year, her agency was struggling. People were quitting every month, and she couldn’t understand why. The company offered good pay, flexible hours, and all the usual perks. But still, staff retention was low.

According to her, firing the three underperformers marked the start of a major culture shift. She also introduced five more changes, which helped her revive the office culture.

"We fired 3 people in one month and our retention actually improved. Sounds backward, but let me explain," Bhaia wrote on LinkedIn.

Check out the post here:

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/vedikabhaia_we-fired-3-people-in-one-month-and-our-retention-activity-7350486176534818816-1jZj?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAC1-JI4B4dmegnZ528LvCVwOSmAh9ikUC3w

5 other changes that worked:

First, Bhaia brought the team back into a physical office. While remote work sounded comforting, it had taken away the daily fun and energy.

Next, the agency started giving proactive pay raises, rewarding great work before employees even asked. Bhaia also added small gestures like surprise treats.

She made sure to praise good work publicly so the whole team could celebrate wins together. Clear standards were set, and low performance was no longer ignored.

Lastly, she focused on hiring passionate people, not just those with fancy CVs.

In today's fast-paced startup and flexible career environment, creating a strong company culture requires more than just perks. Bhaia's approach, with clear decisions, quick actions, and warm gestures, proves that even small changes can lead to a big impact.

Bhaia's post quickly went viral on LinkedIn, with many users praising her honesty, leadership, and practical approach. Some called the post “gold,” while others said her insights felt “refreshing” and “real.”