In a story that highlights the profound human impact of corporate decisions, a newlywed Indian-origin tech couple working in the United States faced a devastating double blow in May 2025. Just 15 days into their marriage, both software engineers were handed pink slips in a round of mass layoffs. However, the manner in which their respective managers delivered the identical painful news created two radically different experiences—one leaving with dignity intact, the other struggling with shattered confidence.
The High of Marriage Meets the Dread of Layoffs
Roshni Chellani, a software engineer with over a decade of experience, shared the emotional ordeal in a viral Instagram Reel. She recounted that she got married on May 2, 2025, calling it the biggest high of her life. After returning to the US on May 13, she logged into work from home on May 17 due to travel sickness. Her first day back was abruptly cut short.
"As soon as I joined work for the day, I was met with the most dreadful message of my life," Roshni explained. Her manager called to inform her she was "impacted by workplace reductions." Stunned, she switched off her camera to process the shock. She immediately questioned if it was performance-related, noting she had received a 4/5 in her last rating.
Empathy in Adversity: One Manager's Compassionate Approach
Roshni's manager provided a textbook example of how to handle such a difficult conversation with humanity. He reassured her that the layoff was headcount-based and not performance-based. "He really tried to console me and make sure I was doing okay," she said. Noticing her distress, he encouraged her to take the rest of the day off. His support extended beyond the call, as he later sent her resources to help her cope with the situation.
This empathetic delivery protected Roshni's self-esteem during a vulnerable time. "All the interviews I gave, I carried that strong sense of self with me," she noted, crediting her manager's kindness for preserving her professional confidence.
A Cold-Hearted Delivery: The Other Manager's Approach
The contrast could not have been starker for her husband, Shubham. While he was trying to console Roshni, he received a text from his manager summoning him. Despite Shubham's request for an online call, explaining that his wife was "going through something," his manager insisted he report to the office immediately to receive the news in person.
When Shubham complied, the interaction was brutally brief. "His manager just put the brochure in front of him and said 'You are laid off' and it was such a cold-hearted delivery," Roshni shared. The callousness of the encounter had a deep impact. "It was so sudden and confusing. It bogged Shubham down," she added, highlighting how this approach eroded his self-worth and made him question himself.
The Lasting Impact of Managerial Choice
Roshni Chellani powerfully summarized the core lesson from their parallel ordeals. "One manager broke the news but did not break the self-confidence or self-worth of the other person. The other manager deliberately broke the news in a way that breaks the self-worth of the other person," she stated.
She emphasized that while bad news in the corporate world is often inevitable, the delivery is always a choice. "Bad news is inevitable. Cruel delivery is a choice," the techie asserted. Her message to managers everywhere is a poignant reminder of their responsibility: "When you are breaking tough news to someone, please remember that you might be shaping how someone remembers the toughest day of their life. So the least you could do is do it with kindness."
The couple's story, set against the backdrop of their recent wedding, underscores a critical aspect of workplace culture often lost in the mechanics of layoffs: human empathy. For this Indian-origin couple, the same company, the same day, and the same outcome were processed through entirely different emotional lenses, dictated solely by the approach of two individual managers.
