A Mumbai-based startup founder is being praised online after revealing how he responded when an employee's performance declined.
In a LinkedIn post, Dhruv Mukherjee, founder of Blue Lobster Media, shared that an employee had a "bad month" and asked him to dock her pay. But instead of cutting her salary, Mukherjee said that he sent her on a fully paid 3-day getaway and arranged a dedicated workspace to help her get back on track.
"My employee had a bad month, and asked me to dock her pay. I sent her on a paid getaway instead," he wrote.
In the post, Mukherjee recalled that he noticed persistent issues in the company's content pipeline over the course of a month. According to him, post approvals were becoming last-minute, edits that usually took an hour were taking more than 4 hours, and content quality had become inconsistent.
The responsibility for managing the workflow rested with the company's Content Operations Lead, Aarya. Mukherjee said he discussed the problems with her and the two worked on possible solutions.
"We worked on some solutions and she assured me - 'I will fix it,'" he wrote. However, he said that the same issues continued throughout the month.
By the end of it, Mukherjee said he told Aarya, "This is not working out. Maybe you're not ready for an operations role."
{{/usCountry}}By the end of it, Mukherjee said he told Aarya, "This is not working out. Maybe you're not ready for an operations role."
{{/usCountry}}Disappointed with herself, she asked for more time and even suggested that her salary be reduced as a penalty. "I promise I can do it. You can take whatever penalty you think is valid, but please give me more time," the employee told Mukherjee.
He said that he had a conversation with Aarya following which he figured out that she had been dealing with personal issues that were affecting her ability to focus despite trying her best.
So instead of deducting her pay, Mukherjee said that he chose a different approach. He sent her on a 3-day stay at an Airbnb, fully paid by the company. He said that the idea was to give her 2 days of uninterrupted work in a fresh environment, followed by 1 day to rest and recharge. Mukherjee also booked her a desk at a co-working space close to her home so she would have a dedicated place to work without distractions.
"Yes, it's an added expense in her CTC. But she looks forward to going to work every day, and is happy with her own work. Which reflects in the results," he wrote.
Reflecting on the decision, Mukherjee argued that employers often overlook the fact that "employees are people first, professionals second."
"A little empathy goes a long way, in building both their career and a stronger team," he added, before asking users whether they thought he had made the right call.
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How did social media react?
The post quickly gained attention on LinkedIn, with many users praising the founder's empathetic approach to leadership.
Reacting to the post, one user wrote, "love this Dhruv Mukherjee you created psychological safety that rarely shows up on a balance sheet, but it quietly changes how people perform. When someone feels safe enough to admit they're struggling, the real problem becomes much easier to solve."
"Great call, Dhruv. Leading with empathy like this is what builds real loyalty and long-term performance. People remember how you showed up for them when things were hard," commented another.
"This is such an important reminder that behaviour is only the visible part of the story. Before judging performance, understanding the person behind it can completely change the conversation. Empathy and accountability don't have to exist separately," wrote a third user.
HT.com has reached out to Dhruv Mukherjee. The article will be updated once a response is received.