A social media debate has erupted after Deepinder Goyal announced hiring for his new venture, Temple, with eligibility criteria linked to applicants’ fitness levels.
In his post, Goyal said Temple is developing an advanced wearable device aimed at elite performance athletes. He claimed the device would measure parameters “no other wearable in the world measures” with exceptional precision. The company is inviting engineers and researchers from fields such as embedded systems, deep learning, computational neuroscience, brain-computer interface (BCI), computer vision and sensor algorithms, along with product managers.
Fitness condition triggers criticism
The controversy centred on a specific requirement: applicants must have body fat below 16% for men and 26% for women. Those not meeting the benchmark may apply but would remain on probation until achieving the target within three months.
Critics on social media described the condition as potentially discriminatory, arguing that appearance or body composition-based hiring norms could raise legal and ethical concerns in certain jurisdictions. One user compared it to past controversies involving alleged appearance-linked employment standards in the aviation sector.
Supporters defend performance focus
Others defended Goyal’s stance, suggesting that a performance-driven company building athlete-focused technology may reasonably prioritise fitness. Supporters argued that aligning recruitment standards with a culture centred on health and athletic performance could promote healthier lifestyles.
Temple, according to Goyal, aims to build a community of “athlete-engineers” who personally test and refine the product they create.
The episode has sparked a broader discussion on workplace inclusivity, company culture and whether physical fitness benchmarks can form part of recruitment standards in specialised industries.
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