As HR mistakes go this is a doozy. On Friday, Aviva's asset management arm, Aviva Investors, dismissed the entire global workforce, more than 1,300 strong, by mass email.

Within minutes,the HR department sent another mass mail retracting the notice and apologising for their mistake. Clerical error was blamed for exit mail, which had been intended for one person.

"Most people recognised immediately that the email was a mistake," spokesman Paul Lockstone told Bloomberg. “From time to time, things go wrong."

Helpfully, The Telegraph has obtained a copy of the mass mailer, which ends: "I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and wish you all the best for the future."

Nice human touch. One wonders a little about HR people. They sign up for the job because they want to help people, but spend most of their time figuring out how to get rid of staff without getting the company sued.

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