Zoho Clarifies After Viral Post Claims 300 'Employees' Fired Without Notice

Indian multinational tech giant Zoho has officially addressed an anonymous post that went viral on the professional networking app Blind, which claimed the company had “silently” laid off 300 employees without notice. The allegation caused an immediate stir, as Zoho is well-known for its strict “no layoffs” policy maintained over three decades, even during the 2023 tech downturn and the rapid rise of AI.

The anonymous user, who claimed to be one of the 300 affected individuals, expressed deep disappointment in the post, stating they had chosen Zoho over offers from companies like TCS and Capgemini for its promised stability. “This situation has hit me hard,” the user wrote, citing a financially struggling background and family dependence on the role.

Zoho Clarifies: Interns, Not Employees

In a statement provided to HT.com, Zoho clarified that the viral claims stem from a misunderstanding of the company’s internship structure versus full-time employment.

Mohammed Sohail, Associate Director of Talent Acquisition and Global HR Operations at Zoho Corp, told HT.com that describing interns who did not receive full-time offers as “laid off” is “factually incorrect.”

“The post in question appears to conflate our internship programme with employment,” Sohail told HT.com. “These are distinct: internships are learning engagements that do not automatically guarantee a full-time role.”

Sohail further explained to HT.com that for the 2026 intern cohort, more than 30% of candidates have already either received full-time offers or are currently being evaluated for permanent positions. This is independent of the freshers who have been hired and will join as full-time staff upon the completion of their academic courses.

The company reiterated that while high-performing interns are absorbed into the workforce, an internship is a temporary learning phase.

“Interns who demonstrated exceptional ability have been or will be absorbed into the company,” Sohail added in his statement to HT.com. “Others will complete their internships as scheduled, and will be free to apply for other jobs.”