Indian American CEO, Niraj Shah, ‘work longer hours’ memo message didn’t go down well netizens
Indian American CEO, Niraj Shah, 'work longer hours' memo message didn't go down well netizens
Wayfair CEO Niraj Shah’s year-end memo to his employees did not go down well with many of them and also the public.
The Boston-based online retailer of home goods faced a backlash after Shah’s email, which urged workers to work harder and longer hours, was leaked to the media.
In the email, Shah praised the company’s performance in the third quarter of 2023, but also warned that the competition was fierce and that employees needed to be more aggressive, pragmatic, frugal, agile, customer-oriented, and smart.
Shah wrote, “Hard work is essential for success, and a key part of getting things done. Everyone deserves to have a great personal life – everyone manages that in their own way – ambitious people find ways to blend and balance the two.”
However, not everyone was impressed by Shah’s message. Many netizens expressed their displeasure and vowed to boycott Wayfair over its CEO’s work ethic. Some also called for the company to unionize its workers.
“I’m boycotting and not purchasing anything from this greedy company,” one user posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Another user, @PortiaMcGonagal, echoed that sentiment saying, “A company I’ve purchased from and been satisfied by. My mom too. And now, I won’t be buying from anymore.”
Shah’s memo came after Wayfair reported a 3.7% increase in sales to $2.9 billion in the quarter ending Sept. 30, 2023, compared to the same period in 2022. The company also reduced its net loss by 42%, from $283 million in 2022 to $163 million in 2023. Shah attributed the improvement to the company’s market share growth, repeat customer rate, supplier relationships, and profitability.
