In India’s corporate environment, notice and probation periods are often seen as essential, but Zomato has opted to eliminate both — and it seems to be thriving without them.
According to Niharika Mohanty, Zomato’s VP of HR, the company operates on an “at-will” employment basis. “If you want to be here, be here. If you don’t want to be here, don’t,” she explains.
Typically, companies impose a probation period on new employees, lasting anywhere from one to six months. During this time, employees may have limited rights, fewer benefits, and can be dismissed without notice.
Zomato, however, does not have a probation period. “Zomato doesn’t believe in giving different treatment during the first six months or any special privileges after that period,” Mohanty says. “From day one, a new joiner is a Zomato employee.”
Similarly, Zomato does not enforce a notice period. Many companies require employees to stay for 1-2 months after resigning to ensure a smooth transition and business continuity. Zomato, on the other hand, believes that once an employee has decided to leave, they are already disengaged. “Keeping them for another month only affects more engaged employees,” says Zomato’s HR representative.
This forward-thinking approach is relatively rare in Indian companies. With over 8,700 full-time employees across Zomato, Hyperpure, and Blinkit, Zomato’s decision to forgo notice and probation periods seems to be paying off. As Zomato ranks among the top 50 most valuable companies in India, its progressive practices may inspire other startups and established firms to consider similar changes.