Ola CEO’s email criticising poor office attendance sparks debate

A strongly-worded email from Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal addressing employee attendance issues has gone viral, igniting a debate on social media.

In the email, Aggarwal expressed disappointment over what he described as "poor attendance" among staff and accused some employees of exploiting company leniency related to work from home.

The email, which has been widely shared online, saw Aggarwal taking a firm stance, calling the situation disrespectful to colleagues who consistently contribute. He also hinted at stricter measures, stating that HR would address individuals who had “misused the freedom so far.”

“Hi all, I’ve been reviewing our attendance data, and it’s shocking to see that many people have very poor attendance,” Aggarwal reportedly wrote. “I expect everyone to have the basic self-respect not to exploit the company by skipping work. This behavior is disrespectful to colleagues who genuinely work hard.”

He further clarified that Ola does not have a work-from-home (WFH) policy except in cases of genuine need. “Starting Monday, stricter attendance expectations will be enforced. HR will have discussions with those who have misused the freedom,” he warned.

The email has sparked polarized opinions. While some praised Aggarwal’s no-nonsense approach, others criticized his tone, suggesting it was unnecessarily harsh. “Physical presence in the office doesn’t guarantee productivity. Employees could still pretend to work and underperform,” commented one user.

Another person suggested hiring practices may be at fault: “If you think your employees need constant monitoring, maybe you’ve hired the wrong people. Treat employees like the professionals they are.”

On the other hand, some defended Aggarwal’s stance, emphasizing accountability. “Why blame only Bhavish? Employees gaming the system and skipping work still expect to be paid. Respect works both ways,” a user argued. Others linked attendance to team collaboration and productivity, saying, “When employees don’t show up, collaboration suffers, which reflects in the quality of services and products. I agree with Bhavish on this.”

While the authenticity of the email has not been independently verified, the incident has sparked a broader conversation about workplace culture, accountability, and the balance between flexibility and productivity in a post-pandemic world.

Ola has yet to officially comment on the controversy.