Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski has posted a list of people recently offered severance by the company on LinkedIn, describing the document as a "goldmine" for recruiters.
The publication of the list, which was cobbled together by Klarna staffer J Tyler Wilkinson, has divided opinion on social media, coming just a week after Klarna announced plans to let go up to 700 staff to drive down costs.
"I personally have mixed feelings about this document," Siemiatkowski writes. "While it symbolises much of what I am proud of among Klarna’s employees, it is also a tangible symbol of a very hard decision that saddens me deeply and will stay with me for a long period of time."
Jiyoon Back, who worked at Klarna for just one month as a vendor delivery manager before bailing out described the post as "tone deaf".
"Klarna is the most chaotic place I’ve ever been a part of, and knew immediately that something like a big lay-off was just a matter of time," she says. "I see that the person who recruited me from Klarna is on this list. And someone who was so kind enough to show me around and get my laptop etc on my first day is on this list. My heart aches. These people left their previous jobs, changed their living circumstances to come be part of your vision. And Sebastian Siemiatkowski, you see them as nothing but numbers."
A number of posters criticised the decision to publish mail addresses for the effected staff: "I know of a few Fortune 100 companies that were circulating this Google sheet around their offices last week, so I know it's getting used as a resource and it can do some good," said one. "But, the potential risks could be adding a lot of salt to an already opened wound to job seekers & others who are in a vulnerable situation."
"I feel the exposure of thousands of email addresses in a public document is not so smart," wrote another. "I’d suggest to make the list available to recruiters that ask for it and not to the whole internet."
Tyler Wilkinson responded to the feedback: "I admit that I put this together rapidly and while I anticipated some reach, I did not expect this scope. Given the increased visibility of the output list, especially now, I have gone ahead and removed the email column completely."