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Top employee fired despite praise from boss: ‘Reason: You’re not motivated enough’

An employee’s post about being fired despite having a good performance record prompted mixed reactions on Reddit.

Updated on: Sep 16, 2026, 08:52:33 IST
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A Reddit user’s post went viral after they claimed they were fired for allegedly lacking motivation, despite being a top performer. The employee alleged that they were blindsided by a conflicting decision from higher management.

The employee expressed that the sudden layoff left them speechless. (Representational image). (Unsplash)
The employee expressed that the sudden layoff left them speechless. (Representational image). (Unsplash)

“I am the top performer at my company and I was fired this morning,” a Reddit user wrote.

Also Read: Employee works 15 minutes short of 8-hour day, gets called out by boss: ‘Never thought it mattered’

The person added, “Stated reason: ‘You're not motivated enough.’ My whole team liked me and my boss praised my high performance; their boss disagreed apparently.”

The employee said the incident left them “speechless” and asked on Reddit, “What relationship should I keep with my immediate boss?”

How did social media react?

An individual advised, “25 years HR here. There are so many reasons that people are fired, even top performers. It’s not worth even speculating as to why this happened to you. I will tell you, the only thing that matters is getting beyond it as soon as possible. Get your exercise and nutrition together; put your resume and materials together; call upon your friends; get out there every day and find a new job. Tell interviewers your old job ended, you’re not sure why, could be problems at your old company, you don’t know, you’re here to make a new company successful. Don’t look back; don’t give your old boss a second thought. Next year at this time, if all goes well, you’ll be in your new job and it’ll be like the old one never existed.”

Also Read: ‘Never be a cool boss’: Man shares workplace lesson after feeling ‘backstabbed’

Another commented, “It might be time to face yourself with the hard truth that you were not, in fact, the top performer at your company. Genuine self-reflection, the ability to honestly evaluate and improve what needs improving, is a very important trait to possess. Use the boss who liked you as a reference. Learn from your mistakes.”

A third posted, “Perhaps arrogant or rubbed someone up the wrong way. Whatever the case, self-reflection is key and maintains a positive relationship with the direct manager for positive references.”

A fourth wrote, “Don't take it personally. Currently, layoffs are a global phenomenon. Employees around the world are going through it. Good, better, best, all kinds of employees are getting fired. Ultimately, it's all about revenue and profit. They will keep firing until they can show a profit on books, no matter how good you perform. HR/manager whosoever is firing has to come up with some or the other excuse. Just think that life has other plans for you now and move on.”

(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. Hindustantimes.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)

  • Trisha Sengupta
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Trisha Sengupta

    Trisha Sengupta is a Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of digital newsroom experience. Specialising in high-engagement storytelling, she blends viral trends with traditional journalism to cover the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. Her reporting spans real estate and personal finance struggles in hubs like Bengaluru and Gurgaon, the NRI experience, and corporate shifts like tech layoffs. Trisha also frequently tracks global figures and writes human interest stories. Offline, Trisha is an avid reader, history enthusiast and solo traveler. She balances her journalism career with family life while actively integrating AI tools into her modern storytelling approach.Read More

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