A LinkedIn post by a founder about a week-long salary delay at her company has sparked debate online, with many users weighing in on the responsibilities of founders and employees. The discussion began after LinkedIn user Geetika Kaushik shared a post about the challenges founders face when business targets are missed and salaries are delayed. Referring to a recent experience, she said employees raised concerns about job security after their salaries arrived seven days late.
“Employees came forward and said: ‘We are not getting job security here. Salary is getting delayed. How will we survive?’ And they were right. They have families. EMIs. Responsibilities. A salary delay hurts them too,” she wrote.
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However, Kaushik also urged employees to consider the pressure founders carry behind the scenes. She questioned the accountability of a senior manager who, according to her, achieved only 20% of the target during the peak season.
“But here’s the question from a founder’s side,” she wrote. “If a senior manager handling a team of 30+ people achieves only 20% of the target in peak season, misses the 70% goal, and still asks only: ‘Sir Salary?’ ‘Sir TADA?’ Then what exactly is the responsibility towards the company?”
The founder went on to argue that while employees expect salaries, incentives and job security, founders are often left dealing with mounting pressure and sleepless nights as they try to keep the business afloat.
“Before leaving home for work tomorrow, think once: someone is sacrificing silently so you can pay your EMI on time and feed your family. Don’t cheat your job. Earn with respect, not by habit,” she concluded.
Internet says employees deserve timely pay
The post quickly gained traction online, with many users disagreeing with her perspective. One person wrote, “When you choose to become a founder, you knowingly sign up for uncertainty, pressure, sleepless nights, and financial risk. But one responsibility remains non-negotiable: employees must be paid on time.”
Another commented, “Isiliye toh humlog job kar rahe hain, nahi toh founder hote kisi start up ka. Moreover agar profit 200% hua toh kya founder employees ko profit sharing denge kya?”
A third user echoed a similar sentiment, writing, “If employees are expected to ‘adjust’ during a company’s difficult phase, then a fair question is: when the company becomes profitable, will those same employees share in the success too?”
Others questioned whether employees alone should be held accountable for missed targets. “If company not provide sufficient required resources (non payment of dependent supplier to achieve target) that case who is responsible?” asked one user.
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Another took issue with the founder’s framing of the situation, writing, “You’re not sacrificing silently if you’re posting about it online. And you’re not sacrificing so people can pay for housing and food, you’re sacrificing to build a business so you can reap the benefits if your company becomes successful.”
