'Firing will keep team happy': Tech CEO trains managers to get 'good' at terminations

The CEO advocated for training of leads to get 'good' at firing. (Representational)

The CEO of a European tech company ignited a debate by suggesting that managers should be trained to be "good" at firing employees with a recent LinkedIn post in which he called sacking “necessary”. In a lengthy post, Andreas Roettl outlined his perspective on handling layoffs, he talked about the ‘importance’ of letting go of underperforming employees to protect team morale and culture.

Roettl began his post, "I'm really good at firing people...says no one ever. But we should! Because firing is as important as hiring. Yet it is a topic most people avoid. We don’t want to be fired, we don’t want to fire others.”

“The thing is: Firing is as necessary and deserves the same attention as hiring. Firing will keep your team happy and strong. Firing will save your team spirit and culture,” he continued and went on to add that at his company, Journi, they train their leads on how to become “good” at letting people go.

He encouraged others to follow suit and advocated for regular training of team leads, including practice sessions, feedback mechanisms, and performance improvement plans (PIPs) before resorting to terminations. According to Roettl, firing should be approached with care, giving employees a chance to improve before making the final decision.

"Just like in soccer, there must be a clear first warning: the yellow card, so to speak... If the situation doesn’t improve within a reasonable time frame, we brandish the second yellow card. And then it’s time to say goodbye," Roettl explained.

The post attracted both support and criticism in comments. One commenter called it "tone-deaf," while another said he himself should be sacked.

“Firing" yourself from your post as CEO. Charity begins at home; ain't it?” the comment read.

A third raised concerns about mass layoffs being unfairly associated with underperformance. Some agreed with the sentiment, stating that while firing is difficult, it's important to maintain team strength and spirit.

Roettl addressed the backlash by clarifying in the comments, "I’m sorry if I hurt someone... but rest assured that the main message is that we have to praise and protect all of you guys doing a great job at Journi."

He also shared statistics to back his position, noting that his company, with an 80-member team, had a 5% turnover rate in the last 12 months and had only laid off two employees during that period.