Fire Your Way to a Dream Team? This Founder Did.

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The Boss Who Fired Her Way to a Better Team: A Mumbai Founder's Story
Imagine running a company where you offer good salaries and flexible hours – basically, everything young professionals dream of. Yet, people keep quitting. Month after month, your team shrinks. That's exactly the puzzling situation Vedika Bhaia, a Mumbai-based founder, found herself in.
She was stumped. Why were people leaving? After much thought, she had a powerful realization: the problem wasn't just with the employees who left. It was with the ones who stayed. Specifically, the underperformers who were dragging everyone else down.
Taking a bold and somewhat controversial step, Vedika decided to fire three underperforming employees in the same month. It sounds harsh, but the results were immediate and surprising: employee retention actually improved.
But that wasn't all. Vedika backed this tough decision with six intentional changes that completely reshaped her company culture. Here’s what she did:

Back to the Office: Remote work had its perks, but it lacked the buzz and spontaneous energy of a shared space. Getting a physical office brought back the camaraderie, shared laughs, and team spirit that had been missing.
Proactive Pay Raises: Instead of waiting for employees to ask, Vedika started giving raises to high performers before they even expected it. This sent a clear message: good work is noticed and rewarded.
Random Treats, Just Because: Simple gestures like surprise ice cream on a Tuesday or a team lunch on a Friday made a huge difference. These little moments made the team feel genuinely valued and cared for.
Public Appreciation: When someone did an amazing job, Vedika didn't just praise them privately. She celebrated their wins openly with the whole team. Recognition feels even better when everyone hears about it.
High Standards, Quick Decisions: She stopped tolerating "just good enough." A strict "one-to-two warning" rule was put in place. Vedika realized that keeping low performers around kills the motivation of everyone else.
Hiring for Passion, Not Just Resumes: Forget the perfect CV. Vedika started prioritizing enthusiasm, hunger, and a strong work ethic. As she put it, "They could have a side hustle for all I care, as long as there’s passion and hard work."

Since making these changes, the transformation has been remarkable. Not only has her company seen better employee retention, but morale, overall performance, and team spirit have all soared.
Vedika's honest approach resonated deeply online, with many people cheering her on. Her story is a powerful reminder that sometimes, making tough decisions and setting clear standards, combined with genuine care and appreciation, is exactly what's needed to build a thriving team.

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