The Los Angeles Times laid off nearly 115 journalists in one go over a Zoom call&nbsp;amid the company's financial turbulence.&nbsp;

With the layoffs, the newspaper cut down 20 per cent of its newsroom staff. Its owner and billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong said that the layoffs were important to make the newspaper sustainable and refused to accept that the company was in any kind of turmoil.

The layoffs, which were announced by the newspaper on Tuesday (Jan 23), affected both union and non-union employees.&nbsp;

President of Media Guild of the West Matt Pearce, who represents unionised journalists of the Times, wrote on X that 94 union members were notified about being laid off on Wednesday (Jan 24), which is one-quarter of the union members but very few of them had originally anticipated.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/google-ceo-sundar-pichai-tells-employees-to-expect-more-job-cuts-in-2024-report-681271">Google CEO Sundar Pichai tells employees to expect more job cuts in 2024: Report</a>

“We believe our decision to go on strike saved scores of newsroom jobs today,” said the Los Angeles Times Guild, in a statement on Wednesday, as it cited an email from the media company's COO and president.

Some of the staff who were laid off took to X to share their news. The staff who posted about layoffs included the chief and deputy chief of the paper’s D.C. bureau Kimbriell Kelly and Nick Baumann, and also Jeff Bercovici and Lindsay Blakely, the editor and deputy editor of the business section, along with others.

<h2>Soon-Shiong says layoffs are 'painful'&nbsp;</h2>

In an interview which was published in his own paper, Soon-Shiong said that the layoffs were “painful for all,” but added that they were part of a “real plan” of making the paper viable. He added that the newspaper had faced “tumultuous” years, but rejected the fact that the company was in chaos.&nbsp;

“We are not in turmoil,” Soon-Shiong said. The layoffs happened just two weeks after the newspaper’s executive editor Kevin Merida resigned after working for two and a half years.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Tech layoffs to continue in 2024?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/tech-layoffs-to-continue-in-2024-675501/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The newspaper had already laid off 74 newsroom employees a few months ago. The fresh layoffs happened at the time when the newspaper got its first-ever Oscar nomination for the documentary short film ‘The Last Repair Shop’. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The Los Angeles Times laid off nearly 115 journalists in one go over a Zoom call amid the company's financial turbulence. With the layoffs, the newspaper cut down 20 per cent of its newsroom staff.

The Los Angeles Times laid off nearly 115 journalists in one go over a Zoom call amid the company's financial turbulence. With the layoffs, the newspaper cut down 20 per cent of its newsroom staff. Its owner and billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong said that the layoffs were important to make the newspaper sustainable and refused to accept that the company was in any kind of turmoil. The layoffs, which were announced by the newspaper on Tuesday (Jan 23), affected both union and non-union employees. President of Media Guild of the West Matt Pearce, who represents unionised journalists of the Times, wrote on X that 94 union members were notified about being laid off on Wednesday (Jan 24), which is one-quarter of the union members but very few of them had originally anticipated. Also read: Google CEO Sundar Pichai tells employees to expect more job cuts in 2024: Report “We believe our decision to go on strike saved scores of newsroom jobs today,” said the Los Angeles Times Guild, in a statement on Wednesday, as it cited an email from the media company's COO and president. Some of the staff who were laid off took to X to share their news. The staff who posted about layoffs included the chief and deputy chief of the paper’s D.C. bureau Kimbriell Kelly and Nick Baumann, and also Jeff Bercovici and Lindsay Blakely, the editor and deputy editor of the business section, along with others. Soon-Shiong says layoffs are 'painful' In an interview which was published in his own paper, Soon-Shiong said that the layoffs were “painful for all,” but added that they were part of a “real plan” of making the paper viable. He added that the newspaper had faced “tumultuous” years, but rejected the fact that the company was in chaos. “We are not in turmoil,” Soon-Shiong said. The layoffs happened just two weeks after the newspaper’s executive editor Kevin Merida resigned after working for two and a half years. Watch: Tech layoffs to continue in 2024? The newspaper had already laid off 74 newsroom employees a few months ago. The fresh layoffs happened at the time when the newspaper got its first-ever Oscar nomination for the documentary short film ‘The Last Repair Shop’. (With inputs from agencies)

LA Times lays off 115 journalists over Zoom call amid financial turmoil

With online video calls through platforms like Zoom and Teams becoming a common practice in our day-to-day work life, it is now being seen as the most feasible and easy way to communicate. 
 
However, a recent study says that such video calls may not actually be the 'smoothest' way to hold conversations. 
 
The new research has revealed that the human brain finds it challenging to process conversations that take place through video calls in comparison to face-to-face conversations. 
 
The findings made in a study carried out at Yale University emphasises&nbsp;how important it is to hold in-person communication and this is how humans naturally interact with others.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pandemic-impacted-brain-health-of-elderlies-even-if-they-didnt-catch-covid-654112">Brain health of those 50 and above declined rapidly during the pandemic: Study</a>

"The social systems of the human brain are more active during real live in-person encounters than on Zoom," stated neuroscientist Joy Hirsch, who is the senior author of the published paper. 
 
"Online representations of faces, at least with current technology, do not have the same 'privileged access' to social neural circuitry in the brain that is typical of the real thing,” he added. 
 
As per Hirsch and her colleagues, neuroimaging was used by most of the studies previously carried out to record brain activity amid social interactions, which involved individual people.

<h2>Study recorded people's eye and brain activity during conversation</h2>

In this study, the researchers carried out a comparison between how people interacted with one another in real-time. The participants included 28 healthy adults who had no vision impairments and belonged to different ages, genders, and ethnicities. 
 
Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), eye trackers and electroencephalography (EEG) were used by Hirsch and the team to carefully record the eye and brain activity of people when they were talking to each other. 
 
The results of pairs who participated in live face-to-face conversations were compared to those who used Zoom to hold video chats. No changes were made in the conversation partners and the same task was completed by each pair during the conversations.

WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas: How COVID-19 compromises brain function

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In comparison to interactions which took place on Zoom, face-to-face discussions saw an increase in signal in the brain's critical area, which is called the dorsal-parietal region. 
 
"Pupil diameters were generally larger for in-person faces than for virtual faces suggesting increased arousal for in-person faces. In addition, the magnitudes of the pupil responses were reciprocated by partners,” stated the team. 
 
"Overall, the dynamic and natural social interactions that occur spontaneously during in-person interactions appear to be less apparent or absent during Zoom encounters. This is a really robust effect,” explained Hirsch.

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

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With online video calls through platforms like Zoom and Teams becoming a common practice in our day-to-day work life, it is now being seen as the most feasible and easy way to communicate.

With online video calls through platforms like Zoom and Teams becoming a common practice in our day-to-day work life, it is now being seen as the most feasible and easy way to communicate. However, a recent study says that such video calls may not actually be the 'smoothest' way to hold conversations. The new research has revealed that the human brain finds it challenging to process conversations that take place through video calls in comparison to face-to-face conversations. The findings made in a study carried out at Yale University emphasises how important it is to hold in-person communication and this is how humans naturally interact with others. ALSO READ | Brain health of those 50 and above declined rapidly during the pandemic: Study "The social systems of the human brain are more active during real live in-person encounters than on Zoom," stated neuroscientist Joy Hirsch, who is the senior author of the published paper. "Online representations of faces, at least with current technology, do not have the same 'privileged access' to social neural circuitry in the brain that is typical of the real thing,” he added. As per Hirsch and her colleagues, neuroimaging was used by most of the studies previously carried out to record brain activity amid social interactions, which involved individual people. Study recorded people's eye and brain activity during conversation In this study, the researchers carried out a comparison between how people interacted with one another in real-time. The participants included 28 healthy adults who had no vision impairments and belonged to different ages, genders, and ethnicities. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), eye trackers and electroencephalography (EEG) were used by Hirsch and the team to carefully record the eye and brain activity of people when they were talking to each other. The results of pairs who participated in live face-to-face conversations were compared to those who used Zoom to hold video chats. No changes were made in the conversation partners and the same task was completed by each pair during the conversations. WATCH | Gravitas: How COVID-19 compromises brain function In comparison to interactions which took place on Zoom, face-to-face discussions saw an increase in signal in the brain's critical area, which is called the dorsal-parietal region. "Pupil diameters were generally larger for in-person faces than for virtual faces suggesting increased arousal for in-person faces. In addition, the magnitudes of the pupil responses were reciprocated by partners,” stated the team. "Overall, the dynamic and natural social interactions that occur spontaneously during in-person interactions appear to be less apparent or absent during Zoom encounters. This is a really robust effect,” explained Hirsch. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Is human brain failing to process information on Zoom calls? Study says 'yes'

The first day of the fifth month of 2023 should have been normal for a Minnesota lawmaker, but the technology had to intervene and make him viral for reasons he won't like.

Minnesota's Office of the Legislative Auditor was to hold a vote as the members met virtually, but little did State Senator Calvin Bahr know about the faux pas that technology could lead to as he briefly appeared on screen topless.&nbsp;

In the small clip of the virtual meeting on Zoom, viral on social media platforms, Bahr of East Bethel can briefly be seen voting with the Legislative Audit Commission. In the call, a School House Rock "I'm Just a Bill" character was seen on the wall behind him.&nbsp;

After the voting, he quickly turned the camera off and left the black screen, which kept showing his name.&nbsp;

Watch the video here:&nbsp;

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when voting by Zoom goes wrong. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/mnleg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#mnleg</a> <a href="https://t.co/AHsPXf9PRK">pic.twitter.com/AHsPXf9PRK</a>
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As quoted by Kare11, a GOP Senate spokeswoman said Bahr is a truck driver for his main job. He worked until 4:45 am (local time) and then went to bed before taking part in Monday's meeting.&nbsp;

In another reaction, as quoted by Star Tribune, DFL Senator Nicole Mitchell tweeted an eye-roll emoji while responding to the video. She added, "The level of professionalism we get from some of our MN GOP members."&nbsp;

Such incidents keep happening especially in the aftermath of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, when work-from-home became a new normal. In April 2021, Canadian MP William Amos accidentally appeared naked on a parliamentary video call. The video showed him changing clothes after a jog, but he accidentally left his camera on.&nbsp;

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The first day of the fifth month of 2023 should have been normal for a Minnesota lawmaker, but the technology had to intervene and make him viral for reasons he won't like.

The first day of the fifth month of 2023 should have been normal for a Minnesota lawmaker, but the technology had to intervene and make him viral for reasons he won't like. Minnesota's Office of the Legislative Auditor was to hold a vote as the members met virtually, but little did State Senator Calvin Bahr know about the faux pas that technology could lead to as he briefly appeared on screen topless. In the small clip of the virtual meeting on Zoom, viral on social media platforms, Bahr of East Bethel can briefly be seen voting with the Legislative Audit Commission. In the call, a School House Rock "I'm Just a Bill" character was seen on the wall behind him. After the voting, he quickly turned the camera off and left the black screen, which kept showing his name. Watch the video here: when voting by Zoom goes wrong. #mnleg pic.twitter.com/AHsPXf9PRK — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 1, 2023 × As quoted by Kare11, a GOP Senate spokeswoman said Bahr is a truck driver for his main job. He worked until 4:45 am (local time) and then went to bed before taking part in Monday's meeting. In another reaction, as quoted by Star Tribune, DFL Senator Nicole Mitchell tweeted an eye-roll emoji while responding to the video. She added, "The level of professionalism we get from some of our MN GOP members." Such incidents keep happening especially in the aftermath of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, when work-from-home became a new normal. In April 2021, Canadian MP William Amos accidentally appeared naked on a parliamentary video call. The video showed him changing clothes after a jog, but he accidentally left his camera on. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Watch: US lawmaker appears shirtless and lying in bed during official Zoom call

A former employee of Better.com has filed a lawsuit against the company and its CEO, Vishal Garg, alleging that they made false claims to investors regarding the digital mortgage company's financial prospects and performance. Vishal Garg made headlines a year ago when he fired 900 employees over a Zoom call.

In her case, Sarah Pierce, a former executive vice-president of sales and operations at Better.com, claimed that Garg distorted the company's claims in order to persuade investors to proceed with an SPAC merger rather than withdraw owing to the company's financial situation.

Better.com's proposal to go public by merging with Aurora Acquisition Corp, a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC), in a $7.7 billion deal was agreed upon last year but has yet to close. During the pandemic, SPAC acquisitions were one of the hottest investment trends as early-stage companies sought to go public.

According to the lawsuit, Pierce claims that she was fired from her job in February as a result of raising concerns about the sale. She's looking for monetary recompense.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/i-embarrassed-you-bettercom-ceo-apologises-for-laying-off-900-via-zoom-call-435001">'I embarrassed you': Better.com CEO apologises for laying off 900 via zoom call</a>

Garg is accused of directing the faltering lender's bid to merge with a special-purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, according to reports. Garg had accused some of the terminated staff of "stealing" from the company by being unproductive after his well publicised mass dismissal on a video conference call in December.

Pierce claims she pressed the company to issue a statement addressing Garg's "misinformation" about the fired employees and approached him personally, stating that she "would not assist his false narrative."

According to the lawsuit, Garg is also accused of misleading investors and directors by telling them that the company would return to profitability in the first quarter of 2022, despite "Pierce and other top management plainly saying that this conclusion was not conceivable." 
&nbsp;

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You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

A former employee of Better.com has filed a lawsuit against the company and its CEO, Vishal Garg, alleging that they made false claims to investors regarding the digital mortgage company's financial prospects and performance.

A former employee of Better.com has filed a lawsuit against the company and its CEO, Vishal Garg, alleging that they made false claims to investors regarding the digital mortgage company's financial prospects and performance. Vishal Garg made headlines a year ago when he fired 900 employees over a Zoom call. In her case, Sarah Pierce, a former executive vice-president of sales and operations at Better.com, claimed that Garg distorted the company's claims in order to persuade investors to proceed with an SPAC merger rather than withdraw owing to the company's financial situation. Better.com's proposal to go public by merging with Aurora Acquisition Corp, a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC), in a $7.7 billion deal was agreed upon last year but has yet to close. During the pandemic, SPAC acquisitions were one of the hottest investment trends as early-stage companies sought to go public. According to the lawsuit, Pierce claims that she was fired from her job in February as a result of raising concerns about the sale. She's looking for monetary recompense. Also read | 'I embarrassed you': Better.com CEO apologises for laying off 900 via zoom call Garg is accused of directing the faltering lender's bid to merge with a special-purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, according to reports. Garg had accused some of the terminated staff of "stealing" from the company by being unproductive after his well publicised mass dismissal on a video conference call in December. Pierce claims she pressed the company to issue a statement addressing Garg's "misinformation" about the fired employees and approached him personally, stating that she "would not assist his false narrative." According to the lawsuit, Garg is also accused of misleading investors and directors by telling them that the company would return to profitability in the first quarter of 2022, despite "Pierce and other top management plainly saying that this conclusion was not conceivable." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Better.com CEO fired 900 on Zoom call, now being sued for 'misleading investors'

Working from home and communicating with colleagues via video call? Then your creativity might be at risk.&nbsp;

A study published on Wednesday (April 27) mentions that people sometimes struggle to come up with creative ideas during a video call as compared to meeting in person.&nbsp;

The findings suggest that offices and workplaces should prioritise brainstorming sessions for the offices, which were forced to shut down during lockdowns due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.&nbsp;

To understand how work-from-home affects creativity, US researchers studied nearly 1,500 employees of a telecommunications company in Finland, Hungary, India, Israel and Portugal.&nbsp;

Researchers attempted to find how creativity has been impacted due to the lack of in-person interaction and increase in video calls for regular meetings and sessions.&nbsp;

During the process, in pairs, in person or on a Zoom call, the employees came up with creative ideas for the company's products.&nbsp;

The study published in the Nature journal revealed that the pairs who spoke in person came up with around 15 per cent more.&nbsp;

The same method was applied in another set-up as the researchers found similar results in an experiment involving more than 600 university students.&nbsp;

Students were paired off and told to come up with creative ideas for either a frisbee or bubble wrap. The study noted that those in-person pairs came up with 14 per cent more ideas.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/women-more-likely-to-have-asthma-attacks-deaths-than-men-report-474429">Women more likely to have asthma attacks, deaths than men: Report&nbsp;</a>

Findings in both experiments revealed that video calls were just as effective for selecting the best idea.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, to understand after analysing the findings and understanding the difference, the researchers tracked the gaze of the participants.&nbsp;

"In the virtual condition people are looking significantly more at their partner - almost double - at the expense of their broader environment," the study's co-author Melanie Brucks, an assistant marketing professor at Columbia University, said in a Nature video.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/fascinating-fact-giant-moon-of-saturn-has-a-earth-like-landscape-474452">Fascinating fact: Giant Moon of Saturn has a Earth-like landscape</a>

The study said that "videoconferencing hampers idea generation because it focuses communicators on a screen, which prompts a narrower cognitive focus".&nbsp;

That kind of focus might help select the best idea -- but hinder coming up with one in the first place.&nbsp;

Brucks added, "We're most creative when we're unfocused and free. I always suggest turning off the camera during idea generation, so you can walk around, you can look around."&nbsp;

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(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Working from home and communicating with colleagues via video call? Then your creativity might be at risk. A study published on Wednesday (April 27) mentions that people sometimes struggle to come up with creative ideas during a video call as compared to meeting in person.

Working from home and communicating with colleagues via video call? Then your creativity might be at risk. A study published on Wednesday (April 27) mentions that people sometimes struggle to come up with creative ideas during a video call as compared to meeting in person. The findings suggest that offices and workplaces should prioritise brainstorming sessions for the offices, which were forced to shut down during lockdowns due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. To understand how work-from-home affects creativity, US researchers studied nearly 1,500 employees of a telecommunications company in Finland, Hungary, India, Israel and Portugal. Researchers attempted to find how creativity has been impacted due to the lack of in-person interaction and increase in video calls for regular meetings and sessions. During the process, in pairs, in person or on a Zoom call, the employees came up with creative ideas for the company's products. The study published in the Nature journal revealed that the pairs who spoke in person came up with around 15 per cent more. The same method was applied in another set-up as the researchers found similar results in an experiment involving more than 600 university students. Students were paired off and told to come up with creative ideas for either a frisbee or bubble wrap. The study noted that those in-person pairs came up with 14 per cent more ideas. ALSO READ | Women more likely to have asthma attacks, deaths than men: Report Findings in both experiments revealed that video calls were just as effective for selecting the best idea. Meanwhile, to understand after analysing the findings and understanding the difference, the researchers tracked the gaze of the participants. "In the virtual condition people are looking significantly more at their partner - almost double - at the expense of their broader environment," the study's co-author Melanie Brucks, an assistant marketing professor at Columbia University, said in a Nature video. ALSO READ | Fascinating fact: Giant Moon of Saturn has a Earth-like landscape The study said that "videoconferencing hampers idea generation because it focuses communicators on a screen, which prompts a narrower cognitive focus". That kind of focus might help select the best idea -- but hinder coming up with one in the first place. Brucks added, "We're most creative when we're unfocused and free. I always suggest turning off the camera during idea generation, so you can walk around, you can look around." WATCH WION LIVE HERE × (With inputs from agencies)

You think videoconferencing is the new normal? But it hinders creativity, study claims

The CEO of a digital mortgage firm recently became highly infamous due to his one Zoom call in which he fired 900 employees. Now, that leader is “taking time off”.<o:p></o:p>

Vishal Garg quickly became infamous on the internet due to his one video in which he got nearly 900 of his employees on a Zoom video call and fired all of them while accusing them of ‘stealing from the company'.<o:p></o:p>

"I come to you with not great news. The market has changed and we have to move with it in order to survive, so that hopefully, we can thrive and hopefully, deliver on our mission, " he said as he began the grim announcement. "If you’re on this call, you are part of the unlucky group that is being laid off."

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/i-embarrassed-you-bettercom-ceo-apologises-for-laying-off-900-via-zoom-call-435001">'I embarrassed you': Better.com CEO apologises for laying off 900 via zoom call</a></o:p>

However, now it is being reported that Garg is "taking time off effective immediately" while the company’s top layer takes time to reanalyse the leadership and culture. The company’s board of directors, too, have sent a letter to employees assuring that the company will take all needed and possible measures to bring the company out of any possible danger. <o:p></o:p>

An outside firm will also be brought in to "do a leadership and cultural assessment." The leadership has assured that the assessment of this third party will be "taken into account to build a long-term sustainable and positive culture at Better".8<o:p></o:p>

While Garg takes some time off "given the very regrettable events over the last week", CFO Kevin Ryan will step into the shoes of the CEO on an interim basis.

<o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-ceo-fires-900-people-on-zoom-call-434726">WATCH |</a></o:p>

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Meanwhile, the board of directors have requested the remaining employees to "refocus on our customers and support each other to continue to build a great company and a company we can be proud of".<o:p></o:p>

This announcement comes a few days after Garg sent a letter of apology to the remaining employees of Better.com. "I failed to show the appropriate amount of respect and appreciation for the individuals who were affected and for their contributions to Better. I own the decision to do the layoffs, but in communicating it I blundered the execution. In doing so, I embarrassed you," he wrote.<o:p></o:p>

The CEO of a digital mortgage firm recently became highly infamous due to his one Zoom call in which he fired 900 employees. Now, that leader is “taking time off”.

The CEO of a digital mortgage firm recently became highly infamous due to his one Zoom call in which he fired 900 employees. Now, that leader is “taking time off”. Vishal Garg quickly became infamous on the internet due to his one video in which he got nearly 900 of his employees on a Zoom video call and fired all of them while accusing them of ‘stealing from the company'. "I come to you with not great news. The market has changed and we have to move with it in order to survive, so that hopefully, we can thrive and hopefully, deliver on our mission, " he said as he began the grim announcement. "If you’re on this call, you are part of the unlucky group that is being laid off." Also read | 'I embarrassed you': Better.com CEO apologises for laying off 900 via zoom call However, now it is being reported that Garg is "taking time off effective immediately" while the company’s top layer takes time to reanalyse the leadership and culture. The company’s board of directors, too, have sent a letter to employees assuring that the company will take all needed and possible measures to bring the company out of any possible danger. An outside firm will also be brought in to "do a leadership and cultural assessment." The leadership has assured that the assessment of this third party will be "taken into account to build a long-term sustainable and positive culture at Better".8 While Garg takes some time off "given the very regrettable events over the last week", CFO Kevin Ryan will step into the shoes of the CEO on an interim basis. WATCH | Meanwhile, the board of directors have requested the remaining employees to "refocus on our customers and support each other to continue to build a great company and a company we can be proud of". This announcement comes a few days after Garg sent a letter of apology to the remaining employees of Better.com. "I failed to show the appropriate amount of respect and appreciation for the individuals who were affected and for their contributions to Better. I own the decision to do the layoffs, but in communicating it I blundered the execution. In doing so, I embarrassed you," he wrote.

After firing 900 employees, CEO of Better.com takes 'time off'

After coming under fire for insulting 900 people he had just laid off, Better.com CEO Vishal Garg sent an email to the company's remaining employees on Tuesday afternoon.&nbsp;

The CEO of a digital mortgage lender based in the United States has apologised to existing staff for how he handled the situation.&nbsp;

"I failed to show the appropriate amount of respect and appreciation for the individuals who were affected and for their contributions to Better. I own the decision to do the layoffs, but in communicating it I blundered the execution. In doing so, I embarrassed you," Garg said in the letter to current employees.

An employee shared a video of Garg's Zoom conversation on December 1st, during which he fired around 900 SoftBank-backed staff.

The dismissals were attributed to market conditions and a drop in the company's performance, according to the CEO.

Since the firings, the entrepreneur, who is also the founder of Better.com, has been in the middle of a storm, particularly owing to the manner in which they were announced. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-ceo-abruptly-terminates-over-900-employees-in-us-and-india-over-zoom-call-434583">Watch | CEO abruptly terminates over 900 employees in US and India over Zoom call</a> 
 
The dismissed employees made up 9% of the company's entire staff and were dispersed across the US and India.&nbsp;

According to Bloomberg, the mortgage lender also pushed back its public offering through a merger with Aurora Acquisition, a blank-check provider, after modifying the transaction a day before it laid off some of its employees.

According to Bloomberg, the corporation will seek additional regulatory permission after amending the merger conditions.

This will delay the transaction's completion, which the firms had previously stated would take place in the fourth quarter.&nbsp;

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(With inputs from agencies)

After coming under fire for insulting 900 people he had just laid off, Better.com CEO Vishal Garg sent an email to the company's remaining employees on Tuesday afternoon.

After coming under fire for insulting 900 people he had just laid off, Better.com CEO Vishal Garg sent an email to the company's remaining employees on Tuesday afternoon. The CEO of a digital mortgage lender based in the United States has apologised to existing staff for how he handled the situation. "I failed to show the appropriate amount of respect and appreciation for the individuals who were affected and for their contributions to Better. I own the decision to do the layoffs, but in communicating it I blundered the execution. In doing so, I embarrassed you," Garg said in the letter to current employees. An employee shared a video of Garg's Zoom conversation on December 1st, during which he fired around 900 SoftBank-backed staff. The dismissals were attributed to market conditions and a drop in the company's performance, according to the CEO. Since the firings, the entrepreneur, who is also the founder of Better.com, has been in the middle of a storm, particularly owing to the manner in which they were announced. Watch | CEO abruptly terminates over 900 employees in US and India over Zoom call The dismissed employees made up 9% of the company's entire staff and were dispersed across the US and India. According to Bloomberg, the mortgage lender also pushed back its public offering through a merger with Aurora Acquisition, a blank-check provider, after modifying the transaction a day before it laid off some of its employees. According to Bloomberg, the corporation will seek additional regulatory permission after amending the merger conditions. This will delay the transaction's completion, which the firms had previously stated would take place in the fourth quarter. (With inputs from agencies)

'I embarrassed you': Better.com CEO apologises for laying off 900 via zoom call

Days after the US-based mortgage come, Better.com, unceremoniously fired 900 people over Zoom call, three top executives have tendered their resignation.

Three of the companies’ top communications executives include Tanya Gillogley, head of public relations, Melanie Hahn, head of public relations, and Patrick Lenihan, VP of communications, according to multiple media reports.

The resignations come in response to the last week’s mass layoff, when CEO Vishal Garg abruptly terminated about 9% of the employees, which comprised of staff from US and India.

Garg received severe backlash over his move, following which he wrote an apology for the current employees of the SoftBank-backed mortgage lender firm.

Also see | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-ceo-abruptly-terminates-over-900-employees-in-us-and-india-over-zoom-call-434583">CEO abruptly terminates over 900 employees in US and India over Zoom call</a>

“I failed to show the appropriate amount of respect and appreciation for the individuals who were affected and for their contributions to Better,” the letter reads.

“I own the decision to do the layoffs, but in communicating it I blundered the execution. In doing so, I embarrassed you.”

During the Zoom call, Garg had cited market efficiency, performance and productivity as the reason behind the firings.

Fortune later reported that Garg accused laid-off employees of “stealing” from colleagues and clients by being unproductive and working two hours a day.

“If you’re on this call, you are part of the unlucky group that is being laid off," Garg,&nbsp;who founded Better.com in 2016, said on the call on Monday.

“Your employment here is terminated effective immediately,” he said, adding that employees could expect an email from HR detailing benefits and severance.

(With inputs from agencies)

Days after the US-based mortgage come, Better.com, unceremoniously fired 900 people over Zoom call, three top executives have tendered their resignation. Three of the companies’ top communications executives include Tanya Gillogley, head of public relations, Melanie Hahn, head of public relations, and Patrick Lenihan, VP of communications, according to multiple media reports.

Days after the US-based mortgage come, Better.com, unceremoniously fired 900 people over Zoom call, three top executives have tendered their resignation. Three of the companies’ top communications executives include Tanya Gillogley, head of public relations, Melanie Hahn, head of public relations, and Patrick Lenihan, VP of communications, according to multiple media reports. The resignations come in response to the last week’s mass layoff, when CEO Vishal Garg abruptly terminated about 9% of the employees, which comprised of staff from US and India. Garg received severe backlash over his move, following which he wrote an apology for the current employees of the SoftBank-backed mortgage lender firm. Also see | CEO abruptly terminates over 900 employees in US and India over Zoom call “I failed to show the appropriate amount of respect and appreciation for the individuals who were affected and for their contributions to Better,” the letter reads. “I own the decision to do the layoffs, but in communicating it I blundered the execution. In doing so, I embarrassed you.” During the Zoom call, Garg had cited market efficiency, performance and productivity as the reason behind the firings. Fortune later reported that Garg accused laid-off employees of “stealing” from colleagues and clients by being unproductive and working two hours a day. “If you’re on this call, you are part of the unlucky group that is being laid off," Garg, who founded Better.com in 2016, said on the call on Monday. “Your employment here is terminated effective immediately,” he said, adding that employees could expect an email from HR detailing benefits and severance. (With inputs from agencies)

3 top executives of Better.com resign after CEO lays off 900 people over Zoom call

A few days after firing 900 employees over a Zoom call in a snap, Better.com CEO Vishal Garg has now reportedly apologised to the current employees of the company.

Better.com CEO Vishal Garg apologises for firing 900 staffers over Zoom call

A CEO fired 900 employees without notice, on a video call. How did the fired employees take the news? Is there a right way to break such horrible news? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: CEO fires 900 people on Zoom call

More than 900 employees in the US and India of a mortgage lender company were fired abruptly by the CEO during a three-minute Zoom call.

According to CNN, Better.com CEO Vishal Garg made the announcement on Wednesday saying that about 9 per cent of its workforce have been laid off.

“I come to you with not great news. The market has changed and we have to move with it in order to survive, so that hopefully, we can thrive and hopefully, deliver on our mission,” he said as he began the grim announcement.

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He blamed market efficiency, performance and productivity as the reason behind the firings,

“If you’re on this call, you are part of the unlucky group that is being laid off," Garg,&nbsp;who founded Better.com in 2016, said on the call.

“Your employment here is terminated effective immediately,” he said, adding that employees could expect an email from HR detailing benefits and severance.

Around 15 per cent of employees of the New York-headquartered company have lost their jobs as part of the cost-cutting exercise.

Garg said that this is the second round of lay-offs Garg has undertaken.

A video of the Zoom call has been widely shared on the internet.

“Having to conduct layoffs is gut-wrenching, especially this time of year," CFO Kevin Ryan said in a statement to CNN Business.

“However, a fortress balance sheet and a reduced and focused workforce together set us up to play offence going into a radically evolving homeownership market.”

(With inputs from agencies)

More than 900 employees in the US and India of a mortgage lender company were fired abruptly by the CEO during a three-minute Zoom call. According to CNN, Better.

More than 900 employees in the US and India of a mortgage lender company were fired abruptly by the CEO during a three-minute Zoom call. According to CNN, Better.com CEO Vishal Garg made the announcement on Wednesday saying that about 9 per cent of its workforce have been laid off. “I come to you with not great news. The market has changed and we have to move with it in order to survive, so that hopefully, we can thrive and hopefully, deliver on our mission,” he said as he began the grim announcement. × He blamed market efficiency, performance and productivity as the reason behind the firings, “If you’re on this call, you are part of the unlucky group that is being laid off," Garg, who founded Better.com in 2016, said on the call. “Your employment here is terminated effective immediately,” he said, adding that employees could expect an email from HR detailing benefits and severance. Around 15 per cent of employees of the New York-headquartered company have lost their jobs as part of the cost-cutting exercise. Garg said that this is the second round of lay-offs Garg has undertaken. A video of the Zoom call has been widely shared on the internet. “Having to conduct layoffs is gut-wrenching, especially this time of year," CFO Kevin Ryan said in a statement to CNN Business. “However, a fortress balance sheet and a reduced and focused workforce together set us up to play offence going into a radically evolving homeownership market.” (With inputs from agencies)

Watch | CEO abruptly terminates over 900 employees in US and India over Zoom call

Can’t stand being in another Zoom meeting? Here's some good news for you.

A developer has now created the Zoom Escaper, a tool that will play sounds so unbearable on your Zoom call that other people will want you to get off the line.

The application provides a library of annoying sounds to use as a get-out-of-Zoom-free-card. It can replicate the sound of a bad connection, or more customarily frustrating sounds -- annoying everyone on the video call who can no longer understand you.

Zoom Escaper’s website says the service “allows you to self-sabotage your audio stream, making your presence unbearable to others.”

All the annoying sounds have the same outcome – that is, to trigger everyone on the call to find you so irritating that they tell you to leave, or allowing you to bow out gracefully – for the benefit of everyone else.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/meet-buckwheat-the-donkey-you-can-hire-to-crash-zoom-meetings-311817">Also read |&nbsp;Meet Buckwheat, the donkey you can hire to crash Zoom meetings</a>

Zoom Escaper is free software, and the source code is available on GitHub. Users must first download and install the VB-Cable app, then grant the Zoom Escaper website microphone access and set the “VB-Cable” as the output device. They can then go to Zoom settings and set the “VB-Cable” app as the default microphone and start applying the settings from the Zoom Escaper website.&nbsp;

Users can reset their microphone settings on Zoom back to set their computer’s microphone as default to turn the effects off.

Can’t stand being in another Zoom meeting? Here's some good news for you. A developer has now created the Zoom Escaper, a tool that will play sounds so unbearable on your Zoom call that other people will want you to get off the line.

Can’t stand being in another Zoom meeting? Here's some good news for you. A developer has now created the Zoom Escaper, a tool that will play sounds so unbearable on your Zoom call that other people will want you to get off the line. The application provides a library of annoying sounds to use as a get-out-of-Zoom-free-card. It can replicate the sound of a bad connection, or more customarily frustrating sounds -- annoying everyone on the video call who can no longer understand you. Zoom Escaper’s website says the service “allows you to self-sabotage your audio stream, making your presence unbearable to others.” All the annoying sounds have the same outcome – that is, to trigger everyone on the call to find you so irritating that they tell you to leave, or allowing you to bow out gracefully – for the benefit of everyone else. Also read | Meet Buckwheat, the donkey you can hire to crash Zoom meetings Zoom Escaper is free software, and the source code is available on GitHub. Users must first download and install the VB-Cable app, then grant the Zoom Escaper website microphone access and set the “VB-Cable” as the output device. They can then go to Zoom settings and set the “VB-Cable” app as the default microphone and start applying the settings from the Zoom Escaper website. Users can reset their microphone settings on Zoom back to set their computer’s microphone as default to turn the effects off.

This new app can genuinely help you drop out of a Zoom meeting

The year 2020 has given us a lot of video meeting moments to laugh at, be it children of lawmakers popping up from behind during TV interviews or children coming up with ways to disrupt classes. However, what stole the show this year is when anti-LGBT lawmaker from Lithuania was spotted with a semi-naked man during a Parliament meeting.

A&nbsp;Lithuanian MP Petras Grazulis is known to be an outspoken critic of the LGBTQ community in his country and has often publically criticised the idea of Pride marches and has even compared&nbsp;homosexuality with paedophilia.

During a Parliamentary meeting, Grazulis, who had a word document open on his system, was suddenly spotted with a sem-naked man popping from behind him on the screen. The man has not been identified as his face was half-visible. It is, however, not clear if the MP was decently-dressed or not as only his head was visible.

The duo is spotted looking at the screen for a few moments — as if to fix some error — before the document took over the screen again.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-author-roald-dahls-family-issues-quiet-apology-for-anti-semitic-comments-347972" hreflang="en">British author Roald Dahl's family issues quiet apology for anti-Semitic comments</a>

The MP has not given a straight answer yet as to who the person was. Grazulis, however, was not happy with the reaction and meeting everyone's expectations, responded angrily to the reactions. He earlier claimed it was his son helping him fix something on his system and then changed his story claiming the semi-naked man was&nbsp;Andrius Tapinas, a journalist who has been "persecuting him for a long time".

"He's haunting me everywhere, it's no wonder that he got here," Grazulis said.

While the local media and people took a hit at the irony of the situation, the&nbsp;Chairman of the&nbsp;parliamentary committee Vytautas Juozapaitis expressed concern over 'onlookers' being present during such meetings as he feels it can be risky considering sensitive information is discussed in these meetings.

"It's probably the responsibility of every member of parliament to ensure that no other people appear in their home environment..," said&nbsp;Juozapaitis. "It's a question of why are they half-naked during working hours. Of course, you could say it's a person's private life, but he is connected to a Seimas (parliament) meeting."

The year 2020 has given us a lot of video meeting moments to laugh at, be it children of lawmakers popping up from behind during TV interviews or children coming up with ways to disrupt classes.

The year 2020 has given us a lot of video meeting moments to laugh at, be it children of lawmakers popping up from behind during TV interviews or children coming up with ways to disrupt classes. However, what stole the show this year is when anti-LGBT lawmaker from Lithuania was spotted with a semi-naked man during a Parliament meeting. A Lithuanian MP Petras Grazulis is known to be an outspoken critic of the LGBTQ community in his country and has often publically criticised the idea of Pride marches and has even compared homosexuality with paedophilia. During a Parliamentary meeting, Grazulis, who had a word document open on his system, was suddenly spotted with a sem-naked man popping from behind him on the screen. The man has not been identified as his face was half-visible. It is, however, not clear if the MP was decently-dressed or not as only his head was visible. The duo is spotted looking at the screen for a few moments — as if to fix some error — before the document took over the screen again. Also read| British author Roald Dahl's family issues quiet apology for anti-Semitic comments The MP has not given a straight answer yet as to who the person was. Grazulis, however, was not happy with the reaction and meeting everyone's expectations, responded angrily to the reactions. He earlier claimed it was his son helping him fix something on his system and then changed his story claiming the semi-naked man was Andrius Tapinas, a journalist who has been "persecuting him for a long time". "He's haunting me everywhere, it's no wonder that he got here," Grazulis said. While the local media and people took a hit at the irony of the situation, the Chairman of the parliamentary committee Vytautas Juozapaitis expressed concern over 'onlookers' being present during such meetings as he feels it can be risky considering sensitive information is discussed in these meetings. "It's probably the responsibility of every member of parliament to ensure that no other people appear in their home environment..," said Juozapaitis. "It's a question of why are they half-naked during working hours. Of course, you could say it's a person's private life, but he is connected to a Seimas (parliament) meeting."

Anti-LGBT lawmaker spotted with semi-naked man on video meeting

Do you want to inject some fun into your boring office meetings over a video call? You can consider hiring Buckwheat - a donkey who is crashing digital meetings from Canada.

Gravitas: The donkey who crashes video conferences

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