Seattle-based online travel giant, Expedia Group, is streamlining its operations by reducing its workforce by approximately 9 per cent, impacting around 1,500 employees. This strategic move comes amidst a recent leadership change and aims to revitalise growth and recapture market share. The restructuring will allow Expedia to invest more heavily in key areas for future expansion, following a period focused on technical enhancements, according to a company spokesperson. This shift in focus aligns with the recent appointment of Ariane Gorin as CEO, effective May 13. Gorin, previously leading the fast-growing enterprise division, is expected to drive a renewed growth strategy.…
Author: HRK News Bureau
A recent report by a LinkedIn reveals a surprising trend in the Indian job market: while AI continues to reshape the world of work, 94 per cent of Indian companies surveyed plan to prioritise upskilling their employees in 2024, and soft skills are taking centre stage over AI expertise. The report underscores the dynamic nature of skill requirements, with 98 per cent of Indian employers acknowledging substantial shifts in the skills prioritised for potential job candidates. While AI expertise remains valuable, employers are increasingly seeking candidates with strong communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, alongside a continuous learning mindset. This…
Providence India has inaugurated a global centre in Hyderabad, focusing on healthcare engineering, operations and innovation. The organisation plans to increase its staff from 1,400 to 3,500 by the end of 2025. The new office will centralise various crucial functions, such as cloud computing, cybersecurity, clinical applications, digital solutions, data analytics, product development, process automation and emerging technologies such as GenAI. Established three years ago, Providence India seeks to bolster its digital- transformation strategy through a worldwide capability approach. In just three years, Providence India has evolved into a leading global hub for health-tech innovation, boasting around 1,400 highly-skilled experts…
Workday Inc., a provider of cloud-based finance and human resource applications, has announced an agreement to acquire HiredScore, an AI-powered talent acquisition specialist. This acquisition, expected to close by April 30, 2024, aims to bolster Workday’s talent management offerings through the integration of HiredScore’s AI-driven solutions. By merging their services, the companies aim to create a comprehensive suite of tools for talent acquisition and internal mobility, catering to organisations globally. Both Workday and HiredScore emphasise the importance of responsible AI, ensuring human oversight remains central to their technology. “Unlocking the full potential of talent requires innovative solutions,” remarked Carl Eschenbach,…
Ravi Mishra, former senior vice president-HR, global epoxy business, Aditya Birla Advanced Materials Business, has now joined Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani as head-HR. He was associated with the Advanced Materials Business for over four years, starting 2019. “I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to drive change and innovation in the education sector. With a focus on continuous learning and strategic alignment, I am confident in our ability to shape the future of education in India,” says an enthusiastic bMishra, sharing his excitement with HRKatha. He further adds, “Throughout my career, I have embraced change, frequently relocating…
Cisco Systems had announced its intention to axe thousands of jobs as part of a restructuring exercise, which was expected to affect five per cent of its workforce. While it was obvious that over four thousand from its over 84,000 strong workforce will be let go, the specific numbers had not been revealed at the time of the announcement earlier this month. Now, as per media reports, the tech infrastructure firm is going to axe about 729 jobs in the San Francisco Bay Area. By April, this round of layoffs will impact San Jose, Milpitas, and San Francisco, California. The…
Gaurav Gupta, an employee of Paytm Payments Bank, Indore, hanged himself on 26 February at his home. The reason? Well, it was the stress and anxiety resulting from the fear of job loss that drove him to take this extreme step say reports. Thirty-five year old Gupta left no suicide note but it was known that the past few days had been very stressful for him fearing that the company would be closed down. Paytm Payments Bank has been stopped by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) from accepting deposits and credits from customers from 15 March onwards. This is…
Ushering in a new era of online privacy for employees and job applicants, Kathy Hochul, governor, New York has recently signed an assembly bill. The legislation, effective from 12 March, imposes restrictions on employers, transforming the dynamics of online interactions between employers and individuals. Under this legislation, employers are now barred from compelling employees or job applicants to disclose their personal social-media account details. These details include employees’ usernames, passwords, or login information. Furthermore, employers cannot insist on individuals accessing their personal accounts in the employer’s presence or reproducing content from these accounts. The law also provides protection against retaliatory…
Jane Fraser, CEO, Citigroup, witnessed her total compensation rise by six per cent to $26 million in 2024, reflecting a $1.5 million base salary, a $3.7 million cash bonus, and $20.8 million in deferred stock. This increase is attributed to her successful execution of major organisational changes, praised as the most significant since the 2008 financial crisis. These changes were outlined in company filings, with Fraser’s leadership highlighted as playing a crucial role. However, the compensation disclosure coincides with the bank’s plans to cut around 20,000 jobs over the next two years in response to its worst quarterly performance in…
Talent tango: Fresh faces, sharp skills, or tech triumph? HR’s 2024 balancing act For us, the top priority in 2024 will be to develop new skills. While newer skillsets, multi-skilling and upskilling would take centre stage, new talent and new technology would come in based on need. Our renewed focus on superior quality and better asset utilisation needs skillupgrade campaigns in several areas. In line with this, we have started enterprisewide programmes in the following three areas —i) larger foray into AI/ML based problem-solving; ii) safer operations through adoption of emergent safetymanagement methods and tools; iii) adoption of analytics as…
Resonating with a fresh approach to acknowledging the contributions of public servants, the Haryana government has issued a new directive. This innovative initiative, designed to recognise outstanding work performance through appreciation letters, introduces a methodical and meaningful way to celebrate the efforts of government officers and employees. The meticulously outlined directive dictates that these letters of appreciation must be awarded judiciously, preserving their significance as genuine tokens of merit. It underscores the belief that recognition, when given sincerely and selectively, has the power to uplift spirits and inspire the workforce. Furthermore, the guidelines specify that such letters should be issued…
While salary remains a top concern, a report reveals a fascinating data point: around 40 per cent of Indian job seekers expect salary increases exceeding 20 per cent when switching employers, significantly higher than their APAC counterparts. This finding highlights the intensifying competition for skilled professionals in the Indian job market and underscores the need for organisations to adjust their pay strategies to attract and retain top talent. The Salary Guide 2024 by Adecco, goes beyond just salary expectations, revealing a shift in priorities among Indian professionals. Compensation and benefits emerge as the foremost influencers of talent movement, cited by…
Today, that is, 26 February, 2024, Disney officials announced a second round of layoffs as part of their ongoing cost-cutting measures, affecting more employees. By 29 February 2024, the company plans to complete 4,000 out of the 7,000 job cuts it talked of earlier in the year, aiming to save $5.5 billion. Bob Iger, CEO, Disney, announced the plan in February 2023 to streamline Disney’s operations amid economic uncertainty and pressure from Wall Street regarding the profitability of the company’s streaming services. Disney began informing employees of layoffs starting on 27 March 2023. The initial job cuts affected divisions such…
SolarEdge Technologies has named Ratika G as its new director-human resources. Prior to this, Ratika was associated with Sapiens as VP-HR, Australia & APAC, chief growth officer, India. Bringing with her over 23 years of expertise in strategic HR, Ratika dedicated more than seven years of her career to Sapiens. She joined the firm in the year 2016 as its VP-HR. For over five years, Ratika managed the HR gamut for India, Australia and the APAC region, based out of Bengaluru. In the year 2021, she was given an added responsibility of handling the company’s growth in India as its…
Female workers are making significant strides on shop floors and in traditionally male-dominated roles at automakers, propelled by the adoption of advanced technologies in manufacturing processes that demand precision handling, according to a report by the Economic Times (ET). The surge in female representation is not only attributed to technological advancements but is also a result of active measures taken by automobile companies to hire more women, especially in factories embracing automation and integrating new technologies like robotics, electric systems, and electronics. Tata Motors, a notable industry player, boasts a workforce of over 6,500 female shop floor technicians across its…
All 503 students of XLRI School of Management, which has campuses in Jamshedpur as well as Delhi NCR, have received job offers in the placement process that ended recently. The average salary offered was that of Rs 29.89 lakh per annum. Additionally, 33.39 per cent of the students bagged pre-placement offers (PPOs) too. The Institute has revealed that its batch of 2022-24 students across the postgraduate diploma in management – business management and human resource management (BM and HRM) have received job offers. The highest domestic package offered was of Rs 75 lakh per annum, from the banking, financial services…
Anticipated in March, the Dearness Allowance (DA) for Central government employees is poised to witness a four per cent hike. It is set to be implemented retrospectively from 1 January, 2024. Consequently, the DA for the period from January to March will be disbursed as arrears. This allowance is specifically designated for government employees, while pensioners receive Dearness Relief (DR). The adjustment of DA occurs biannually, typically in January and July, with official announcements commonly made in March. The prescribed formula, rooted in the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission, will be adhered to for the impending DA increase.…
Hong Kong Airlines is giving its employees a pay raise. Starting 1 February 2024, eligible workers will see their salaries go up. Flight crews and ground staff will see a 3.8 per cent increase, while technical staff, such as those in maintenance and engineering, will receive a larger raise of 5 per cent. These boosts are determined by how well employees performed in their appraisals last year. Pilots with Hong Kong Airlines will also benefit from a potential increase of up to five per cent in their hourly flying rate. Additionally, staff members remain eligible for discretionary variable incentives, contingent…
Capri Global has appointed Vivek Jain as its new chief human resource officer (CHRO), effective from February. He is renowned for his expertise in driving organisational transformation and change management. Prior to joining Capri, Jain held a distinguished 15-year tenure at Kotak Mahindra Bank, serving as its senior EVP and head-HR across various business verticals. During his stint at Kotak, Jain played a crucial role in fostering synergy among various teams, including investment bankers, research analysts, private equity-fund managers, wealth bankers, corporate bankers, asset reconstruction and retail assets teams, within an entrepreneurial-driven work culture. Backed with over two decades of…
The Orissa High Court ruled that the government cannot take back extra allowances it mistakenly pays to employees if the payment was based on an incorrect method of calculating their pay. The petitioner, who worked as a mailman, was supposed to receive financial upgrades under the modified assured career progression scheme (MACP) after 30 years of service. However, he received this sum mistakenly before retiring, as highlighted by an internal audit report. After his retirement, his leave encashment benefits were held back to recover the extra amount paid to him under the MACP scheme. The employee applied to the Central…
Uma Amuluru replaces Michael D’Ambrose as chief human resource officer and executive vice president of human resources, Boeing. D’Ambrose will assist in the transition of leadership and retire in July. Boeing made the announcement on 22 February 2024. Amuluru will officially take on the role starting 1 April, 2024. Amuluru has been serving as vice president and general counsel for Boeing Defence, Space and Security since early 2023. Previously, she was Boeing’s inaugural chief compliance officer, overseeing the establishment of the company’s global compliance organisation and serving on the executive council. As the new CHRO, Amuluru will oversee Boeing’s workforce…
To promote fairness, diversity and inclusivity, Unilever Nigeria has unveiled a new set of policies. Designed to cater to the diverse needs of its workforce, these policies are designed to enhance productivity and achieve a healthy work-life balance. The policies will cover six core areas, including maternal and paternal leave, menstrual leave, lactation and crèche facilities, a hybrid working model, provisions for people with special abilities, and engagement initiatives. While these policies apply to all employees, there is a particular focus on the female gender to ensure a comfortable workplace for them. The company, acknowledging the challenges associated with childbirth…
As part of a restructuring initiative, Vice Media Group is discontinuing operations on its primary news platform, vice.com, and letting go of a considerable number of employees. The company revealed that it recognises the necessity to reallocate resources and streamline operations. Additionally, it has acknowledged that several hundred positions will be eliminated. The company now plans to redirect its focus and partner with recognised media organisations to share its digital content, including news, on their global platforms. As part of this shift to a studio model, Vice will cease the publication and distribution of articles on its website, vice.com, exclusively…
Amazon recently advised its employees to be cautious while using third-party generative AI tools for work, as reported by Business Insider. The company has warned its employees not to use these tools for confidential Amazon tasks, emphasising the importance of not sharing sensitive data related to Amazon, its customers, or employees when using third-party generative AI tools. Amazon also outlined a policy regarding the use of such tools, stating that companies offering generative AI services may claim ownership or licences over the content created using these tools. The policy highlights that any information that is fed into generative AI tools,…
YAAP Digital, a leading content creation company, has been recognised as one of the ‘Happiest Places to Work’ in India by Happyness.me. This prestigious certification underscores YAAP’s dedication to fostering a positive and fulfilling work environment for its employees. The certification is based on an anonymous ‘happiness dialogue’ programme conducted with all employees, including the CEO. This programme utilises Happyness.me’s proprietary framework, validated by the Happiness Research Academy, to ensure the certification reflects genuine employee experiences. “Happiness is what drives success,” said Manan Kapur, sr. partner, YAAP Digital. “While receiving this recognition is an honour, we are committed to being…
Byju’s is in the news again because of disruptions during its investor extraordinary general meeting (EGM). Anonymous individuals tried to disrupt the virtual proceedings. According to recent reports, the EGM faced numerous technical issues and witnessed employee protests. Three registered shareholders were unable to join the meeting, either due to access issues or because they were forcefully removed. The voting poll had only one agenda item, and the EGM should have been adjourned due to the absence of the founders as required by law. The company declared that the EGM was not conducted properly and violated legal agreements under the…