‘300 employees laid off without notice’: Zoho responds to viral post alleging mass layoffs
Cloud-based enterprise software company Zoho has denied claims that 300 employees were laid off without notice. A post on the Blind app claiming that the company laid off nearly 300 employees went viral. However, in its statement, the company reiterated its long-standing policy of not laying off employees.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Zoho said that its streak of not laying off employees for thirty years continues uninterrupted.
What was the viral post?
In the post, one user wrote: “Recently removed from Zoho without prior notice.”
The person also claimed that approximately “300 interns were suddenly laid off” in connection with internal discussions about replacing senior staff with interns.
The post also highlighted personal concerns:
“I chose Zoho over other offers like TCS, Cognizant, and Capgemini because I was really excited about the opportunity. I could at least get some stability at these companies, even if it meant being on the bench for a while,” the staffer said. “This hit me hard. I come from a financially struggling background and this job wasn’t just a career move. It was something my family relied on.”
What statement did Zoho make?
Zoho explained that the role mixes the internship program with full-time employment. No full-time employees were laid off, according to the company.
“The role in question appears to combine our internship program with employment. They are different: internships are learning activities that do not automatically guarantee a full-time role,” explained Mohammed Sohail, Deputy Director of Talent Acquisition and Global HR Operations at Zoho Corp.
He added: “More than 30% of candidates from the 2026 batch of trainees have already received offers or are currently under consideration for full-time employment. This is in addition to new students being recruited who will join as employees after completing their course.”
“It is actually inaccurate to describe interns who are not offered positions as ‘dismissed’. Interns who demonstrate exceptional ability have been or will be recruited into the company. Others will complete their internships as planned and will be free to apply for other jobs.”
Why did the claim attract attention?
The claim attracted attention because Zoho has maintained its no-layoff stance even during challenging times, including the Covid-19 phase and recent AI-focused industry changes. This made the claim particularly surprising and was widely discussed online.
