HR software glitch accidentally sends termination emails to entire company including its CEO

A company reportedly faced temporary panic after a technical error in its HR system sent automated termination emails to all employees — including the chief executive officer.
According to a post shared on the Reddit community r/Wellthatsucks, an HR team was testing a new offboarding automation tool intended to simplify employee exit procedures. During the trial, the system is said to have been left in active mode, resulting in approximately 300 employees receiving messages stating that their employment had ended “effective immediately.”
The unexpected email triggered confusion across internal communication channels, with several employees seeking clarification about their job status. The company’s IT team later issued an urgent message informing staff that the notification had been sent in error and that no employment terminations had taken place.
The Reddit post quickly went viral, gaining more than 36,000 upvotes and drawing widespread reactions from users. Many commenters expressed concern about increasing reliance on automated HR systems, while others shared similar experiences or responded with humour.
While the organisation involved was not identified, the incident has once again prompted discussions about the importance of safeguards and testing protocols when implementing automation tools in human-resources workflows.
​