Go Zero CEO Calls for Professionalism: “Don’t Abandon Your Employer Immediately After Salary Credit”
Kiran Shah, the founder of Go Zero, the innovative ice cream brand that captured hearts on Shark Tank India, is speaking out about a concerning trend: employees who abruptly quit their jobs immediately after receiving their salary.
A Move to Help, Met with Unexpected Results
In a recent LinkedIn post, Shah shared his reasoning behind shifting Go Zero’s salary disbursement date from the 10th to the 1st of each month back in December 2023. His intention was purely to ease the financial burden on his team members, recognizing that many have bills and expenses due at the beginning of the month.
“I used to give salaries on the 10th of the next month,” Shah explained. “A lot of startups I know do the same. Some even give on the 15th. I realized this causes a lot of inconvenience to the team who has outgoings in the 1st week. From December 2023, I changed the salary payment date to the 1st of every month.”
The Unfortunate Reality: “Ghosting” After Payday
However, Shah’s well-intentioned move has been met with an unexpected and frustrating consequence. Since the change, a small number of employees have seemingly taken advantage of the policy, quitting immediately after payday and failing to return to work.
“This has happened yesterday, the 4th incident overall since I moved the salary processing from 10th to 1st,” Shah lamented.
Choosing Culture Over Penalties
While these sudden departures undoubtedly disrupt company operations, Shah remains committed to maintaining a positive work environment at Go Zero. He firmly believes that penalizing the entire team for the actions of a few would undermine the culture he’s working to build.
“Does it hamper the company operations? Of course, it does. Will I change the salary processing back to 10th? Of course not,” he wrote. “If I start penalizing the entire team for a couple of such dumb folks, then it puts a question mark on the culture I am building at GZ.”
A Call for Open Communication and Professionalism
Shah’s message is clear: if you’re unhappy at work, speak up! He urges employees to communicate their concerns, whether they relate to work, remuneration, their boss, colleagues, location, or anything else.
“If you’re not happy, speak up. Don’t ghost your employer once you get the salary,” Shah emphasized. “If you are not happy with the work or remuneration or boss or founder or colleagues or location or any damn thing, have a communication with your manager. Or even the founder… But do it in a professional way that doesn’t burn bridges.”
The Impact on Your Reputation
Shah also points out that while Go Zero will recover from these sudden exits, such behavior can have a lasting impact on an individual’s professional reputation. He suggests that abrupt departures raise “a question mark on your character and your growth as an individual.”
