Zomato lays off 600 employees without warning, ex-workers accuse company of 'exploitation'

Food delivery giant Zomato is facing backlash from its former employees after it abruptly laid off around 600 workers from its customer support division. Many ex-employees have taken to social media platforms, particularly Reddit, to express their frustration, claiming they were fired without any warning or opportunity to improve their performance.

The controversy began when a former Zomato employee posted on Reddit, stating he was fired for what he called a "ridiculous and unfair reason"—being late by an average of just 28 minutes over three months. He alleged that at least 300 others also lost their jobs under similarly arbitrary circumstances. His post quickly gained traction, sparking conversations about how Zomato handled the layoffs.

Another ex-employee, using the username “be_vocal_,” further criticized the company’s actions, stating that 500 employees were dismissed without notice. He accused Zomato of misleading workers with promises of career growth, promotions, and salary hikes, only to terminate them without accountability. According to him, employees worked long hours to meet targets, believing in the company’s vision, but were discarded when no longer needed.

These layoffs coincide with a Moneycontrol report revealing that Zomato had hired 1,500 employees under its Zomato Associate Accelerator Program (ZAAP) for customer support roles. The program assured employees of career progression into sales, operations, and other departments within a year. However, many of these contracts were not renewed, leaving workers blindsided.

Despite repeated requests, Zomato has not provided an official response regarding the layoffs. The silence has only fueled frustration among former employees, many of whom have warned others against joining the company. The affected employees claim that corporate giants like Zomato exploit workers for maximum output and then replace them when convenient, perpetuating an endless cycle of hiring and firing.

As public outrage over the abrupt terminations grows, industry experts suggest this could impact Zomato’s reputation among potential employees. Meanwhile, laid-off workers are now scrambling for new job opportunities, expressing disappointment over how their careers were cut short without due process.