Jevitha
Sathyanarayanan
Life at Zoho
Describe your current role in the organization.
Besides recruitment, we take care of labor (handling government bodies) related activities. I also handle employee engagement events. Zoho believes in staying humble and faithful to our roots, and I religiously follow that.
What role does Zoho’s company culture play in your identity and the work that you do?
The core strength of Zoho is our culture. It’s like a second family to many of us. We’ve known each other personally and have been a part of many family festivities. That reflects in our work, too; I mention our culture with pride whenever I get to represent Zoho.
I believe the main reason for Zoho’s success is its values and culture, thanks to Sridhar Vembu. It never feels like I was working for someone’s company; it’s always our company. This helps us give our best in whatever we do.
At Work
Your most embarrassing blunder?
Back then, our HR team used to greet birthday buddies with cards. For one such birthday, looking at the name, I searched for the employee assuming they were female, but to my wonder, they weren't. People still laugh about it. :)
Tell us about a time you overcame a challenge you didn’t think was possible.
I was supposed to retain a colleague who put in their notice. I initially thought I’d fail, but to everyone’s surprise, I was able to get them to stay. After all, Human Resources is the biggest asset of any company, right?
Is there a project or an accomplishment at Zoho you’re proud of?
Yes, it’s ‘Amistad 2017’—a company-wide cultural event that we organized, including Zoho’s extended family members. We had about ten thousand people, and the event was a grand success. Though I didn’t do it single-handedly, I got to decide most things. The adrenaline rush of planning, organizing, executing, and hosting such an event was a dream-come-true moment for me that I will forever cherish.
During the pandemic, everyone’s life took a toll because of the lockdown, the lingering COVID-19 threat, and adapting to the work-from-home environment. We decided to rope in counselors to help people deal with these challenges, and I was responsible for hiring them. It turned out to be a difficult task. However, we ended up hiring three psychologists. It’s helping many of our employees.
Our co-founder, Shailesh, appreciated me, and that was the best motivation I’ve got to date :)
Getting Personal
What are some of your favorite activities outside of work?
Brisk walk, yoga, and a bit of Bharatanatyam (an Indian dance form). I’ve been doing these consistently, and these activities energize me throughout the day.
What are the top three books/podcasts/YouTube channels that you recommend?
I enjoy the Walk at Home
YouTube channel.
Anytime I feel low, I take solace in
SPB and Ilaiyaraaja melodies.
Words of Wisdom
I would rather call it a suggestion; people don’t take advice seriously.
Choose the role you’re passionate about. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the results if you do stuff passionately.
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