Hyatt Hotels Corporation has exceeded its global hiring target under its RiseHY workforce- development programme, employing more than 12,000 young people from underserved communities between 2018 and 2025. The hospitality company had initially set a goal of hiring 10,000 individuals from untapped talent pools by the end of 2025. By achieving the milestone ahead of schedule, Hyatt has expanded its commitment and is now aiming to recruit an additional 5,000 individuals by 2028. Launched in 2018, RiseHY was created to improve access to employment opportunities within the hospitality sector for people who often face barriers to entering the workforce. A…
Author: HRK News Bureau
Public-sector banks continued to expand their workforce in FY26, signalling that human capital remains central to growth strategies even as digitalisation reshapes the banking landscape. According to an analysis of annual report data from eight state-owned lenders, these banks collectively added 13,223 employees during the financial year ended 31 March, 2026. Their combined workforce rose to 6,28,203 employees from 6,14,980 in FY25. The analysis covered the State Bank of India (SBI), Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, Punjab National Bank, Bank of India, Indian Bank, UCO Bank and Bank of Maharashtra. Annual reports of four other public sector lenders — Punjab…
Volkswagen is moving ahead with its restructuring strategy in Germany, with thousands of jobs set to be eliminated as the automaker seeks to improve efficiency and lower operating costs amid mounting pressures facing the global automotive industry. According to details expected to be shared by CEO Oliver Blume during the company’s Annual General Meeting on 18 June, Volkswagen plans to reduce its German workforce by around 19,000 employees by the end of this year. The measure forms part of a broader transformation programme aimed at strengthening the company’s competitiveness in an increasingly challenging market environment. The carmaker has also committed…
Microsoft has reportedly blocked employee access to Anthropic’s newly launched AI model, Claude Fable 5. The tech giant cited concerns over the model’s data-retention practices, even as it continues offering the same technology to enterprise customers through its platforms. According to reports, Microsoft employees can no longer access Claude Fable 5 through the company’s internal version of GitHub Copilot. Other Claude models remain available for internal use, as they operate under Anthropic’s Zero Data Retention (ZDR) policy. The restriction stems from changes introduced with Claude Fable 5, Anthropic’s first model in its new Mythos family. Unlike previous Claude models, Fable…
Samsung Group is accelerating its artificial intelligence transformation by expanding employee access to external generative AI tools and launching a large-scale capability-building initiative across its leadership ranks and workforce. The South Korean conglomerate will begin allowing employees to use popular GenAI platforms, including ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude, as part of efforts to improve productivity in functions such as software development and marketing. However, the initiative is designed to achieve far more than task automation. Samsung aims to integrate AI across its businesses and evolve into what it describes as an “AI-native company.” The move reflects a broader shift among global…
The Bombay High Court has upheld the Reserve Bank of India’s decision to compulsorily retire a senior assistant who remained absent from work without approval for nearly three years. The court ruled that prolonged unauthorised absence from a position carrying public responsibility amounts to serious misconduct and can justify removal from service. A division bench of Justices R I Chagla and Advait M Sethna dismissed a petition filed by former RBI employee Animesh Bakuli, who had challenged the central bank’s disciplinary action. Bakuli had sought the cancellation of the compulsory retirement order issued in February 2023 and requested the release…
In a move aimed at encouraging skill development within the government workforce, the Himachal Pradesh government has decided to grant full salary to employees pursuing higher education while on approved study leave. The decision marks a significant shift from the existing provisions that allowed only a portion of the employee’s pay during such leave. Under the revised rules, state government employees undertaking higher studies will receive 100 per cent of their salary throughout the duration of their study leave. Earlier, employees were entitled to just 40 per cent of their basic pay, along with applicable Dearness Allowance (DA) and House…
The global technology company Meta has promoted Sandhya Devanathan to vice president and head for India and South East Asia, with effect from June 2025. In this new role, she will oversee Meta’s teams, partnerships, and growth plans across both regions. Before this, she served as the vice president for India at Meta from January 2023 and played a key role in expanding Meta’s business in the country. Devanathan joined Meta in April 2020 as the vice president for Asia-Pacific Gaming. In this position, she managed one of Meta’s largest revenue businesses and worked closely with gaming companies across the…
ServiceNow has laid off hundreds of employees as part of an organisational restructuring aimed at aligning talent priorities with its growing focus on artificial intelligence (AI). While the company did not publicly announce the workforce reduction, reports of job cuts had been circulating across professional networks and online forums in recent weeks. Employees and former staff members indicated that the layoffs affected multiple functions, including solution consulting, sales, product marketing, and learning and development. A source familiar with the matter has reportedly confirmed that the enterprise software company had eliminated a three-figure number of roles. The move comes amid broader…
Godrej Consumer Products (GCPL) has unveiled ‘Pride in Manufacturing’, a practical toolkit aimed at helping organisations build more inclusive manufacturing workplaces for LGBTQIA+ employees. The toolkit was launched simultaneously at the company’s headquarters, Godrej One in Mumbai, and at its manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu. The initiative seeks to address a long-standing gap in diversity and inclusion conversations, which have often focused on corporate offices while overlooking manufacturing environments—one of India’s largest sources of employment. Developed in collaboration with an inclusion and diversity consulting firm, and a university student, the toolkit provides guidance on creating workplaces where LGBTQIA+ employees can…
A Delhi-based company has rolled out a work-from-home policy that requires employees to keep GPS tracking on and remain inside the Delhi-NCR region. The move comes after layoffs last month cut the workforce from 40 to 15. The company also shifted to a smaller office with just four seats. Under the new system, staff will rotate between working from office and home. Employees initially welcomed the change, but frustration grew when management clarified the GPS condition. Attendance will only be marked if an employee’s location shows they are within Delhi-NCR. Many workers had hoped to move to their hometowns while…
Imagine Learning has brought Priya Subramani on board as country HR leader for India, adding a veteran with over 20 years of experience in HR transformation, talent strategy, and workforce planning across tech, industrial, retail, and education sectors. She will oversee the growth of Imagine Learning’s India team, strengthen leadership pipelines, enhance employee experience, and align HR strategy with the company’s digital-first learning mission. Subramani’s career path reflects a mix of HR leadership in fast-scaling startups and large global firms. She began as deputy manager recruitment at Planetasia.com from 2000 to 2002, before moving to Tavant Technologies as manager HR…
American businessman and investor Mark Cuban has advised recent college graduates to focus on small businesses rather than large corporations as artificial intelligence (AI) changes the job market. In a post on X, Cuban reportedly said that smaller firms are expected to play a bigger role in hiring in the AI era. He reportedly pointed out that small businesses account for about 60 per cent of new jobs each year, and that advances in AI would help them compete more effectively with larger companies that have bigger technology budgets. Cuban also acknowledged concerns about entry-level roles, with many routine tasks…
Accenture has changed how it gives salary increases. A raise will now come as a small base pay hike plus a lump-sum bonus paid in June, so employees get cash faster and more people can see a base pay hike. Under the new plan, a 3 three per cent hike means 1.5 per cent is added to base pay and 1.5 per cent as a June bonus. Accenture says this balances quick cash with long-term pay growth. Promotion-related raises will still go fully into base pay, and the June bonus is separate from year-end performance bonuses in December. June is…
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has proposed changes to executive remuneration disclosures in the mutual fund industry that could significantly alter the level of information currently available to investors. In a consultation paper released on 10 June, the market regulator suggested moving away from individual-level disclosure of senior executives’ salaries to a broader group-based format. If implemented, the proposal would reduce the extent of remuneration details that asset management companies (AMCs) are presently required to disclose. At present, mutual funds provide unitholders with compensation details of key executives, including the chief executive officer (CEO), chief investment officer…
ConveGenius.AI has appointed Shishir Shandilya as its chief human resources officer, strengthening its leadership team as the company focuses on scaling its talent capabilities and organisational effectiveness. In his new role, Shandilya will lead the people agenda for the AI-driven education technology company, with responsibilities spanning talent strategy, leadership development, employee experience, organisational design and workforce transformation. His appointment comes as organisations increasingly seek to build agile, future-ready teams capable of supporting innovation-led growth. Shandilya joins ConveGenius.AI after a six-year stint at Cashfree Payments, where he most recently served as senior director and head of HRBP & HR Centre of…
US-based proptech company, Opendoor is winding down its India operations, a move that will affect nearly 250 employees as the company shifts several key functions back to the US. The decision forms part of the company’s broader transformation strategy, dubbed “Opendoor 2.0,” which focuses on streamlining operations, increasing the use of artificial intelligence and consolidating customer-facing teams closer to its primary market in the US. In an internal note to employees, CEO Kaz Nejatian said the company had already begun relocating certain India-based roles to the US over the past few months. The latest move, he said, marks the completion…
Akasa Air has launched Akasa SkyCadet, a pilot training programme aimed at preparing the next generation of commercial pilots for India’s rapidly expanding aviation sector. The initiative is designed to create a structured pathway for aspiring pilots through comprehensive aviation education, flight training and airline-focused operational readiness. Developed in partnership with approved Flight Training Organisations, Skynex Aero and Dunes Aviation Academy, the programme aligns with the regulations of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) as well as Akasa Air’s operational standards. The launch comes at a time when India’s aviation industry is witnessing unprecedented growth. Indian carriers collectively have…
Uni Klinger has appointed Yogita Shetty as its new head-human resources, strengthening its leadership team as the company focuses on building a future-ready workforce to support its next phase of growth. A manufacturer of fluid control and fluid sealing products, Uni Klinger has entrusted Shetty with leading its people strategy, with responsibilities spanning talent management, leadership development, organisational effectiveness and employee experience. She will play a key role in strengthening a high-performance culture and enhancing workforce capability across the organisation. Shetty brings close to 20 years of HR leadership experience across manufacturing, engineering, media, insurance and diversified business sectors. Prior…
Microsoft’s gaming division, Xbox, could be headed for another round of job cuts as part of a broader restructuring initiative aimed at improving profitability and reshaping its long-term strategy. According to reports, the layoffs are expected to take place soon after the close of Microsoft’s fiscal year on 30 June. While the exact number of employees who may be affected remains unclear, the move would mark the second major round of cuts at Xbox within a year. In July last year, Microsoft’s company-wide restructuring had impacted around 9,000 employees, including teams within its gaming business. The expected workforce reductions come…
Shillpa S Chabria has been appointed vice president, people & organisation for Asia Pacific at Webasto Group, effective June 2025. In this role she will lead work on talent, leadership development, company culture and workforce growth plans across the APAC region for the global automotive technology company. Before joining Webasto, Chabria was the director of HR for India, Middle East and Africa at The Lubrizol Corporation from July 2024 to June 2025. In that role she managed people strategies across multiple markets. Prior to Lubrizol, she worked at Thyssenkrupp from October 2020 to July 2024 as director of HR for…
Dell Technologies may not be done with its workforce restructuring, according to fresh disclosures in its latest regulatory filing that have attracted the attention of investors and market observers. The technology company’s recently filed Form 10-Q with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) revealed that it incurred $227 million in severance-related expenses during a 13-week period. The figure represents a substantial increase compared to the same period last year and has prompted speculation that additional job cuts could be in the pipeline. The filing also showed that Dell has earmarked another $242 million for future severance payments. Although the…
Holiday Inn Bengaluru Racecourse has promoted Ganesh B to the position of director-human resources, underscoring the hotel’s commitment to internal talent development and leadership progression. The elevation marks an important milestone in Ganesha’s career, having grown through multiple HR roles within the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) ecosystem over the past several years. His appointment also reflects the hospitality sector’s increasing focus on nurturing homegrown leaders who understand both the business and its people culture. Prior to taking on the new role, Ganesh served as human resources manager at Holiday Inn Bengaluru Racecourse, where he played a key role in driving…
Anupam Mittal, founder of Shaadi.com and popular judge of Shark Tank India, has ignited a debate on salary practices, urging firms to pay employees twice a month. In a viral LinkedIn post, he said companies highlight free food, remote work and enhanced leave but ignore pay timing, and since most Indian firms disburse salaries in the first week of the next month, it creates stress when delayed. Mittal observed that many firms disburse salaries around the 7th, and that delays caused by non-working days add to financial pressure. He argued that for employees with fixed costs, such delays can lead…
Tools for Humanity, a startup cofounded by Sam Altman is laying off staff after struggling to generate steady revenue from its iris scanning technology, even after raising billions and signing up millions of users. The company is best known for World, an identity system that uses a device called the Orb to scan people’s irises. The goal is to prove that someone is human, not a bot, and to support trading of its Worldcoin cryptocurrency. Tools for Humanity was founded in 2019 by Alex Blania with Sam Altman, CEO,OpenAI as the chairman. The company had raised $240 million in late…
Information technology services and consulting firm, Cognizant has used an artificial intelligence system (AI) to create about $200 million in new sales pipeline by analysing internal employee conversations. At a recent AI Forum, the company’s leadership explained that the AI looks at signals from emails, meetings, chats, contracts and other business interactions across sales, delivery, support and other teams with a goal to find sales opportunities or customer issues that may not come up through regular sales channels. Cognizant reportedly described the approach as “context engineering”. According to the company, this means organising company knowledge and business context so that…