Getting your dream job is often seen as the beginning of a successful career. But what happens when the workplace you once hoped to join slowly becomes a source of stress, anxiety and self-doubt? For Kewal Agrawal, a former Zoho employee who now works as a senior product manager at Flipkart, the answer came after three difficult years.In a recent LinkedIn post, Agrawal looked back at his time at Zoho in Chennai, where he worked as a member of the technical staff from 2015 to 2018. What began as an exciting career milestone eventually became a period during which he struggled with his confidence and even lost interest in the work he once enjoyed. His experience also carries a message for professionals who feel stuck in an unsuitable workplace: sometimes, a difficult career phase is not about a bad employee or a bad organisation. It can simply be a mismatch.
When a dream job starts feeling like the wrong place
Agrawal remembered being extremely happy when he received his first job offer from Zoho. For a young professional beginning his career, it was a moment he had looked forward to. “I was beyond elated the day I got my first job there,” he wrote. However, the excitement did not last as he had expected. Over time, he began experiencing constant stress and anxiety. His confidence gradually declined, and coding, which had once been an important part of his professional journey, became something he no longer enjoyed.“I was constantly stressed and anxious. I slowly lost my confidence, started hating coding, and lost all hope that I would ever amount to anything,” he recalled. Looking back, Agrawal described those three years as a period he felt he had lost. Yet, he was careful not to turn his experience into an accusation against the company or its leadership. He specifically mentioned Zoho co-founder Sridhar Vembu, saying that he continued to admire him. Agrawal also said he did not blame himself for how things had unfolded.
A change of workplace helped him rediscover his confidence
The turning point came after Agrawal moved to MishiPay, a much smaller startup. According to his account, his confidence and interest in work began returning within less than a year of joining the company. That change made him look at his earlier experience differently. The problem, he suggested, was not necessarily his ability to work or the organisation itself. It was that the environment and his own expectations had not come together in the right way. “Sometimes things just don’t click, and nobody is at fault. You could be at the best place in the world, but it might just not be right for you,” he wrote.He also reflected on why he had not left Zoho earlier. At that stage of his career, he did not feel financially or personally secure enough to take the risk of quitting. He also believed he did not yet have the maturity and confidence to make such a decision. His experience highlights a difficult reality for many early-career employees. Recognising that a job is affecting one’s well-being does not always make leaving easy. Financial responsibilities, uncertainty and fear of starting again can make people stay even when they are unhappy.
LinkedIn users say workplace fit matters more than blame
Agrawal’s post prompted several professionals to share their thoughts on workplace compatibility, career decisions and rebuilding confidence. One user referred to the Bollywood film *Tamasha* and offered an encouraging message: “Toh kiya hua? Aapni Kahani hai,.. ending change kar lenge.” Another user pointed out that cultural fit does not always happen and that neither the employee nor the organisation needs to be at fault when expectations fail to align.A third comment focused on how Agrawal’s ability had not disappeared, even though his confidence had. The user observed that his confidence returned after he moved to a different environment, adding that capable professionals sometimes wrongly conclude that they are the problem. One response, however, offered a slightly different perspective. The user agreed that workplace mismatches do not always involve blame but questioned whether staying should simply be seen as a lack of maturity. Sometimes, staying may be necessary or responsible, the comment suggested, but employees should also set a deadline to reassess their situation.
Zoho appraisal concerns add another layer to the discussion
Agrawal’s account has also surfaced amid wider conversations about compensation and employee satisfaction in India’s technology sector. A recent blind survey of 2,178 professionals based in India reportedly found that 35% of respondents received either no salary hike or a pay cut during the latest appraisal cycle. Nearly six in 10 said their salary increase was 5% or less.The reported figures for Zoho employees were particularly striking. According to the survey, 95% of Zoho respondents said they received no hike or a pay cut, while 90% expressed dissatisfaction with their appraisal outcomes. The report also linked the concerns to a reported freeze on annual salary hikes at Zoho. Sridhar Vembu reportedly cited higher investments in AI infrastructure and server costs as reasons for controlling expenses while avoiding large-scale layoffs.Agrawal’s personal account and the appraisal discussion are separate issues, but both have brought attention to the experiences employees can have inside technology companies. Ultimately, his story is not simply about regretting three years at one organisation. It is about recognising that professional success depends on more than getting a prestigious job. The right environment, confidence and interest in one’s work matter too. Sometimes, changing the workplace can help a person rediscover abilities they thought they had lost.