The investment division of Britain's second largest insurer, Aviva, accidentally fired the entire company's 1,300 staff in an embarrassing email cock-up.
A red-faced HR department meant to sent the terse email to a single person but due a "clerical error" it was sent to all of the Aviva Investor staff worldwide.
The email is apparently part of procedures as part of an administration process when staff leave the organisation. At least we presume they don't give people their marching orders by email without notice.
The Daily Telegraph first reported the snafu, revealing that the email "instructed all Aviva Investor workers to hand over company property and security passes on their way out of the building."
The email would no doubt have caused no small amount of stress given that the company is cutting at least some jobs as part of a restructuring process and resulted in "stunned silence" in the London HQ according to the Telegraph report.
Apparently a follow-up email from HR arrived just minutes later with a "groveling" message of apology.
"From time to time, things go wrong," said Aviva spokesman Paul Lockstone. Apparently they do.
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