Mumbai Founder Fines Late Employees, Ends Up Paying Himself
**Mumbai, June 2024:** A Mumbai-based beauty brand founder, Kaushal Shah, recently implemented a strict rule to boost productivity among his employees. The rule required everyone to be in the office by 9:30 am sharp, with latecomers facing a fine of ₹200.
The Backfire
Ironically, the policy backfired on Shah himself. Within a fortnight, Shah had accumulated ₹1,000 in fines for his own tardiness.
**He shared his experience on X with a screenshot of his transactions as proof:**
> “Last week, to increase productivity in the office, I made a strict rule for everyone to be in the office by 9:30 am (earlier, we used to come by 10-11), and if we’re late, we pay Rs. 200 as a penalty. This is me paying it for the fifth time.”
Mixed Reactions
The post went viral, sparking a debate on social media. Some praised Shah for adhering to the same rules as his employees, while others questioned the wisdom of the policy.
Clarification and Intent
In a subsequent post, Shah clarified that he had created a separate UPI Lite account to collect the fines. The money would be used for team events and benefits.
He emphasized that his intention was to hold founders and CEOs accountable for the rules they set for their employees.
Positive Feedback
Despite the backfire, Shah’s transparency and willingness to abide by the rules he set for his team resonated with many online.
Lessons Learned
Shah’s experience highlights the challenges of maintaining punctuality even at the highest levels of a company. It also emphasizes the importance of leadership by example and the need to find positive ways to motivate employees.
Mehek