An anonymous post by a delivery manager at a leading Chennai IT firm, who says he has been told to fire 12 members of his team by Friday, has gone viral on social media.
It has drawn thousands of reactions and hundreds of comments from professionals across the industry.
The post was shared on 28 October by Madras Techies, a popular Facebook page that publishes anonymous workplace confessions, and was signed only "Guy".
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The writer says he was sitting alone in his car in the office basement, "crying with my face buried in the steering wheel", when he wrote it.
According to the post, senior leadership called him into a closed meeting room that morning and handed him an Excel sheet with 12 names. He was told to terminate them by Friday, with no discussions, no warnings and no second chances, in 15-minute meetings.
The manager says he has worked with all 12 since 2016. He recalls late nights at the office until 3 a.m., tea at roadside stalls outside the tech park, and attending one another's weddings.
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He says he has held their newborn babies, and that the team calls him "Anna", a term of respect and affection.
He describes the people on the list. One senior developer took a large home loan four months ago, believing his job was safe.
Another's mother is fighting cancer in hospital, and his company health insurance is paying for her treatment. A third has a wife who is due to deliver next month.
The writer accuses top management of discussing cost-cutting and profit margins from "luxury rooms" while leaving "the dirty work to middle managers like me".
He says he considered resigning, but his wife pointed out that someone else would simply carry out the firings, and his own family would lose its income.
"I feel like the worst human being alive," he wrote. "No salary and no corporate title can ever wash away the guilt of what I have to do this Friday."
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Many users offered sympathy. One user called him "a good human being", and urged him to do his job, explain the situation honestly, help the team find new jobs and offer moral support. Another wrote that it was "not your mistake" but "corporate structure", and urged him to stay in touch with the team.
Others offered practical advice. A user said leaders must handle such moments "as a professional and not as a friend", and suggested he read up on communicating bad news and ask management about severance pay, placement help and the wording of separation letters.
Another said he should tell the team upfront if they are close, so that they can prepare.
One user offered financial advice to employees. He recommended private health insurance for the family and parents, term cover, keeping loans below Rs 2 lakh, and recurring deposits for school fees.
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