India’s leading FMCG companies adopted markedly different workforce strategies in FY26, with Hindustan Unilever (HUL) and Dabur India reporting a decline in permanent employee headcount, while Tata Consumer Products and Marico expanded their workforce. According to a Rediff analysis of annual report disclosures, HUL’s permanent workforce fell from 6,604 employees in FY25 to 5,898 in FY26, a reduction of 706 employees. Dabur India also reported a decline, with its permanent employee strength dropping from 5,343 to 4,770, a decrease of 573 employees. Despite the reduction in headcount, both companies reported higher employee pay. HUL recorded a 6.08 per cent increase…
Author: HRK News Bureau
HDFC Bank reported a net reduction in its workforce during FY26, but the decline was concentrated in non-supervisory roles even as the bank expanded its management cadre and accelerated investments in AI training. According to the bank’s FY26 Integrated Annual Report, total employee strength stood at 2,11,178 as of 31 March, 2026, compared with 2,14,521 a year earlier, reflecting a net reduction of 3,343 employees. The workforce composition, however, changed significantly. Non-supervisory employee strength declined by 8,153, falling from 1,70,950 to 1,62,797. At the same time, the bank added 4,810 employees across management roles. Senior management increased by 15 employees,…
HCLTech has promoted Chandini Kamal to vice president, global head – people & culture. She will now drive the company’s global agenda for employee engagement, experience, wellness, rewards and recognition, and diversity and inclusion. The move follows her tenure as global head of diversity, equity and inclusion, people & culture. In the previous role, she managed engagement experience, wellness, and rewards & recognition (R&R) functions across markets. This latest elevation reflects HCLTech’s focus on building an inclusive, high-performing workplace culture. With more than 15 years at HCLTech, Chandini Kamal has held a series of progressively senior global HR roles. She…
Hilton has appointed Pavithra Jayakumar as senior director, HR consulting for global brands & commercial services, APAC. In the hybrid Singapore-based role, she will work closely with Hilton’s brand and commercial teams across Asia Pacific to align workforce strategy with business growth and market priorities. The appointment follows an extensive leadership stint at Procter & Gamble, where Jayakumar spent 15 years and 8 months building HR capabilities across multiple functions and geographies. Jayakumar started out in talent acquisition as a recruiter at Accenture from June 2006 to June 2008, managing full-cycle hiring for middle-management roles. She entered P&G in November…
Kochi based ecosystem company, Talrop has closed 21 of its ventures across Kerala, leaving more than 300 employees without pay for four to 11 months. The shutdown was announced publicly on 10 July, and the next day affected staff staged a protest march to the firm’s Thrikkakara head office demanding clearance of dues. Talrop, valued at Rs 250 crore, said it was ending its “ecosystem phase” after more than a decade, citing the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and high operating costs. The company claimed it was moving to an “institution driven” model, focusing on Build Operate Transfer (BOT) projects…
After a successful tenure of almost a decade with the Zydus Group, Bhavin Vahia has moved to Transformers & Rectifiers India (TARIL) as chief human resources officer (CHRO). This alumnus of Maharaj Sayajirao University of Baroda and XLRI Jamshedpur began his professional journey as a humble HR executive with JMC Projects in 2002. Over a year later, he moved to Apollo Hospitals in a similar capacity. Vahia’s association with the Zydus Group began in December of 2004 when he took up the role of senior executive-HR, based out of Anklesvar, Gujarat. Over two years into this role, he switched to…
A former Intel employee has filed a lawsuit against the chipmaker, alleging he was dismissed for not complying with the company’s return-to-office policy despite having prior approval to work remotely as a disability accommodation. The employee, Namseok Kim, who worked as a design engineer at Intel since 2014, claims the company approved his request to work remotely in 2023 because of a hearing impairment. According to the lawsuit, the remote work arrangement was granted as a reasonable workplace accommodation. The complaint alleges that in July 2025, Intel informed Kim that his employment would be terminated because he was working remotely.…
Goldman Sachs has updated its personal trading policy to prohibit employees from participating in prediction market contracts related to finance, politics and other market-sensitive events. The move comes as financial institutions tighten compliance measures around emerging trading platforms. According to Bloomberg, the revised policy bars employees from placing bets on contracts involving specific companies, election outcomes, financial markets, macroeconomic indicators and geopolitical developments. However, prediction market bets related to sports and entertainment remain permissible. The investment bank has also warned employees that repeated violations of the policy could result in disciplinary action, including dismissal or closure of trading accounts. In…
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) added 9,279 employees on a net basis during the first quarter of FY27, marking its strongest quarterly hiring in nearly four years and signalling renewed workforce expansion despite a subdued demand environment. According to the company’s quarterly fact sheet, TCS’ total headcount stood at 593,798 as of 30 June, 2026. The latest addition is the highest in 15 quarters and follows a net increase of 2,356 employees in the previous quarter, indicating a continued recovery after workforce optimisation efforts undertaken through much of FY26. Employee retention also improved marginally, with voluntary attrition in IT services declining…
PwC has introduced targeted voluntary redundancies within its UK audit practice, becoming the latest Big Four firm to adjust its workforce as lower employee attrition and softer market conditions reshape hiring strategies. According to City AM, the voluntary-exit programme affects senior associates and managers in the firm’s audit division. PwC said the move is aimed at aligning workforce capacity with current business needs after natural employee turnover remained lower than expected. In a statement, the firm said it was implementing a limited number of voluntary exits in areas where attrition had been low to ensure it has the right skills…
Suzlon Group has announced the appointment of Prateek Sharma as plant HR head. He joins with 14+ years of experience in HR and plant operations within the manufacturing sector. Sharma’s mandate will focus on strengthening employee relations, contract labour management, compliance, and HR operations to support Suzlon’s production and business objectives. His track record reflects a strong emphasis on creating structured, compliant, and engaged work environments across large manufacturing units. Sharma began his HR journey as a human resources executive at Gajra Gears in Dewas, Madhya Pradesh, in 2011 in a part-time capacity. He then took on the role of…
Cognizant has announced plans to expand its AI talent pool by creating a Frontier-certified workforce comprising 5,000 certified engineers and 10,000 Frontier business operators. The move comes as enterprises increasingly seek skilled professionals to deliver measurable outcomes from artificial intelligence investments. The first cohort of employees will reportedly be Frontier-assessed and deployment-ready by the fourth quarter of 2026. It also plans to strengthen its long-term talent pipeline through annual hiring of AI-native graduates from universities in the US and other countries. According to Cognizant, the initiative is designed to address what it describes as the gap between AI’s technical capabilities…
Onida has appointed Neelam Sanguri as its chief people officer, strengthening its leadership team as the consumer electronics brand continues to focus on talent, culture, and organisational transformation. In her new role, Sanguri will lead Onida’s people strategy, with responsibility for talent management, leadership development, organisational culture, employee experience, learning and development, and workforce capability to support the company’s growth journey. Sanguri brings over 16 years of experience across the consumer durables, technology, fintech, edtech, manufacturing, and business services sectors. According to her LinkedIn profile, she has extensive expertise in organisational growth, culture transformation, talent strategy, leadership development, and customer…
AGI Greenpac has appointed Prem Viswanathan as vice president–human resources, strengthening its leadership team as the packaging and glass manufacturing company enters its next phase of growth. In his new role, Viswanathan will lead the company’s human resources function, overseeing talent acquisition, leadership development, employee engagement, organisational capability, and people strategy aligned with AGI Greenpac’s long-term business objectives. Viswanathan brings 17 years of HR leadership experience across the FMCG, consumer goods, food and beverage, manufacturing, and real- estate sectors. Prior to joining AGI Greenpac, he served as chief people officer & vice president – HR at Mrs. Bectors Food Specialities…
A police complaint has been filed by the wife of a Punjab National Bank manager alleging workplace harassment faced by her husband at his posting. According to the complaint, the PNB manager was allegedly subjected to persistent pressure, humiliation and inappropriate conduct by certain colleagues and seniors at the branch. The complainant stated that the situation had been ongoing and was impacting the officer’s mental well-being and professional duties. She further alleged that despite raising concerns internally, there was no adequate redressal, which led her to approach law enforcement. In her statement to police, she urged authorities to investigate the…
Mondelez International has named Aakratee Vajpai as talent lead for its AMEA region, effective July 2026. She will be responsible for driving talent strategy, leadership development and capability building across the company’s diverse markets in Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa. Announcing the appointment on LinkedIn, Aakratee said she was excited to join the global snacking giant behind brands like Oreo, Cadbury Dairy Milk, Toblerone, Ritz and Jacobs. She noted that AMEA’s wide geographical spread presents a unique talent agenda, shaped by different market maturities and business needs, and expressed intent to work with local teams to build the…
A State Bank of India (SBI) manager’s Form 16 showing an annual gross salary of Rs 35.24 lakh has gone viral, raising questions about how bank salaries are perceived and the difference between gross and net income. The manager, who joined SBI as a probationary officer eight years ago, is now a Scale 3 manager. The tax document revealed a gross annual salary of over Rs 35 lakh, surprising many online. However, the figure includes one time benefits such as Leave Fare Concession (LFC) encashment and leave encashment, which are received only once every four years. These payments inflate the…
Microsoft has announced severance packages for the employees it has recently laid off as part of a wider restructuring aimed at reducing costs and building AI related infrastructure. The company has laid off around 4,800 employees worldwide, equal to 2.1 per cent of its workforce. The biggest impact is at Xbox, where 1,600 employees are being let go in the first round. For employees in the US, severance packages vary by tenure and internal level, as reported by Business Insider. Staff at levels 64 and below will receive one week of base pay for every six months of service. Those…
SBI Capital Markets has announced the elevation of Mamta Makhijani to vice president and head of human resources. The move acknowledges her long association with the organisation and her role in strengthening the HR function over the years. In the elevated position, Mamta will lead SBICAPS’ people agenda across talent strategy, learning and development, employee experience and organisational development. The leadership change comes as the firm focuses on building future-ready capabilities in the BFSI space. Mamta’s journey at SBI Capital Markets spans almost two decades. She joined the company in October 2007 as an executive and spent a year in…
Arvind has announced the appointment of Ramkishore R as assistant vice president-human resources & industrial relations (AVP – HR & IR), heading the garments business. The company said the move reinforces its commitment to strengthening people leadership and aligning workforce strategy with business growth. In his new mandate, Ramkishore will lead HR and IR functions for Arvind’s garments division. He will focus on talent management, employee engagement, leadership development and building a performance-driven culture. The company noted that his expertise will also support harmonising industrial relations and driving organisational effectiveness across manufacturing and business units. Ramkishore R brings a 16-year…
Endurance Technologies has promoted Preety Raj to president and chief human resources officer, with effect from April 2026. The move consolidates HR leadership under one role as the auto components manufacturer scales operations across India and seven international locations. In her new capacity, Raj will oversee corporate HR and administration, pilot macro-level workforce planning, manage board-level HR discussions, and drive organisational effectiveness to support the company’s global automotive growth. The appointment follows a stint as an executive vice president & CHRO at Endurance from August 2022 to March 2026. During that period, she led group HR for 24 plants and…
Cognizant Technology Solutions is facing renewed legal pressure in the US after a federal appeals court agreed to revisit allegations that the company defrauded the US immigration system. The case centres on claims by former Cognizant executive Jean-Claude Franchitti, who filed under the False Claims Act. He alleges the company routinely flew workers to the US on L-1 and B-1 business visas instead of H-1B work permits to avoid higher government fees, even while assigning them to roles that legally required H-1B status. Court filings also accuse Cognizant of paying H-1B employees less than the prevailing wage, which Franchitti says…
Europ Assistance has announced the appointment of Savita Ved as head-HR for India & the Middle East, effective July 2026 and will be responsible for shaping the organisation’s people strategy across both regions. In her new role, Ved will focus on driving talent management, organisational development, employee engagement, and HR transformation to align with Europ Assistance’s business and expansion goals in India and the Middle East. She brings more than 10 years of HR leadership experience with global firms. Ved previously spent over 11 years at VFS Global, where she progressed across multiple roles. She served as general manager –…
After almost a year and a half with Sterling Addlife, the corporate entity that owns, manages, and operates the Sterling chain of hospitals, Kuldeep Mehta has been promoted to assistant general manager-HR, training and development. Mehta had joined as senior manager-training and development in November of 2024. Armed with a master’s degree in Pharmaceuticals, from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Kuldeep Mehta began his professional journey as an assistant professor at Atmiya Institute of Pharmacy, at Rajkot in Gujarat, in 2008. Over three years later, he became head. After almost a decade with the Institute, he moved on to…
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter (HMSI) India is planning a big push to expand its manufacturing in India. The company will invest nearly Rs 2,420 crore to add new production lines at two of its plants. The goal is simple: make more bikes and scooters, and create more jobs. By 2028, Honda expects to add 3,800 new jobs across its operations. The first major project is at Tapukara in Rajasthan. Honda will build a third production line here with an investment of about Rs 1,500 crore. The company is buying 73,700 sqm of extra land to support this. The new line…
A routine delivery in Noida turned into a powerful lesson on layoffs and ageing for social entrepreneur, Kiran Verma. He shared on LinkedIn how a small Porter booking introduced him to Manoj, a 56 year old rider who had once worked in corporate administration but was now part of India’s gig workforce. Manoj had spent 14 years at an insurance company in the administration department. In 2023, he lost his job during a round of layoffs. Since then, he has struggled to find another corporate role, with age and health becoming barriers. To survive, he turned to gig work, taking…