An internal email sent by Aggarwal to all the employees across the group last week mandated this, under an initiative, titled ‘Kya Chai Raha Hai?‘ — a colloquial Hindi phrase meaning ‘What’s going on?’. It requires workers to send a brief weekly email listing 3-5 bullet points of their completed tasks.
The reports must be submitted to their managers and a dedicated company email, with no exceptions allowed. The first deadline was set for the end of the day following the announcement, with future reports due every Sunday.
“We’re starting ‘Kya Chai Raha Hai?‘ — a simple way to share your weekly updates directly with me and your managers, starting today. Please send a brief update to your manager and Kyachalrahahai@olagroup.in (email will be active in an hour or so) with 3-5 bullet points about what you got done last week. Keep it simple and to the point. Use the email subject: ‘Weekly updates’. The deadline for this is today end of day. Going forward, we will expect the email before Sunday end of day. Everyone has to send this, no exceptions,” Aggarwal’s message to employees read.
The directive arrives at a critical moment for Ola, which has been undergoing widespread layoffs in an effort to cut costs and turn profitable. As per reports, Ola Electric, the company’s electric vehicle subsidiary, is looking to lay off over 1,000 employees, marking its second significant round of job cuts in five months. The reductions span multiple departments, including procurement, customer relations, and charging infrastructure, as Ola seeks to streamline operations and reduce expenditures, reports suggested.
“We have restructured and automated our front-end operations, delivering improved margins, reduced cost, and enhanced customer experience while eliminating redundant roles for better productivity,” said an Ola Spokesperson, when asked about the mass layoffs.
The new reporting mandate mirrors a controversial policy introduced by Elon Musk, who, in his role leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), recently required US federal employees to submit weekly accomplishment reports in simple bullet points. Musk’s policy was framed as a way to increase accountability and reduce inefficiency in government operations, though it has sparked concerns among employees about workplace morale and job security.
Aggarwal has in the past drawn comparisons between himself and Elon Musk, citing Musk as someone he looks up to. From his ambitions in the electric vehicle industry to his outspoken leadership style, Aggarwal has positioned himself as India’s answer to Musk, often repeating phrases like “Tesla for the West and Ola for the rest.”
This is not the first time Aggarwal has taken a hardline stance on employee performance. In December, he sent a strongly worded internal email warning employees about poor attendance.
“Hi all, I’ve been going through our attendance data. It is shocking that a lot of people have very poor attendance. I would imagine everyone has the basic self-respect to not fleece the company by not even turning up for work. It’s even disrespectful to those colleagues who genuinely work hard and contribute. And we don’t have any WFH policy except for genuine needs. Monday onwards, a more stringent attendance expectation will start. And those of you who have misused the freedom so far, HR will be having a conversation with you. The best excuse I’ve heard so far is that the facial recognition system data is wrong. Let’s not insult basic intelligence. Come to work, do good work and feel a part of Ola’s mission,” he had said in his note to employees in December.
The timing of the “Kya Chai Raha Hai?” initiative coincides with Ola’s ongoing restructuring efforts and cost-cutting measures as Ola pushes for profitability. While Aggarwal has positioned it as a means to improve transparency and accountability, the increased scrutiny on employee output comes with an implicit expectation that they must continually prove their value to the company.
