Cars24 has announced a full reset of its organisational structure, eliminating all bands, grades and job titles across the company. The move makes it the first organisation in India to operate without traditional designations at scale. The company has replaced hierarchy with a new philosophy called “Flatland.” With immediate effect, every employee will be called a “builder”. Cars24 said the change is designed for the AI era, where information and context are no longer scarce. According to Cars24, hierarchies were created to manage information flow when only top leaders had full context. It stated that in an AI-driven world, the…
Author: HRK News Bureau
The Delhi High Court has clarified that what really counts in an employment relationship is the work actually done, not the title or payment label given by the employer. The case involved a man, Umed Singh, who was officially recorded as a “water supplier” at a State Bank of India branch in Karol Bagh. In reality, he was performing messenger duties — delivering cheques, carrying correspondence, and handling outdoor assignments. The bank paid him through vouchers marked as water bills, but these same vouchers, signed by the Branch Manager, also showed journeys for cheque deliveries and other office tasks. Singh’s…
Employee unions representing teachers and rural medical practitioners in Punjab have reiterated their demands for pay revision, regularisation, transfers and specialised training during meetings with a state government panel. According to an official statement, representatives from several teachers’ unions, including the 3704 Adhiyapak Union, ETT 2364 Adhiyapak Union, ETT TET Pass Adhyapak Union (Jai Singh Wala) and the 10 Saal Service Poori Kar Chukke Kachche Adhyapak Union, sought action on long-pending issues related to pay fixation, service regularisation and employee transfers. The discussions were held before a Cabinet subcommittee constituted to address employee grievances. The committee directed the concerned departments…
Pandit Deendayal Energy University (PDEU) has launched the Rooftop Solar Training Academy to develop a skilled workforce for India’s growing renewable energy sector, beginning with a batch of 33 women from Gujarat. The academy aims to equip participants with practical skills in rooftop solar installation, operations and maintenance, preparing them for employment opportunities in the clean energy industry. According to PDEU, the Indo-Australia Rooftop Solar Academy was conceived following discussions between the Prime Ministers of India and Australia in November 2024. The initiative is intended to strengthen bilateral cooperation in renewable energy, clean technology and workforce development. The academy has…
Employees of Central Autonomous Bodies (CABs) covered under the National Pension System (NPS) will now be able to choose from two additional investment options, a benefit that was previously available only to Central government employees. According to a Press Information Bureau (PIB) release, the Department of Expenditure has extended the applicability of the Department of Financial Services’ notification issued on 13 November, 2025, to NPS subscribers employed in CABs. The decision was formalised through an office memorandum issued on 1 July, 2026, and is aimed at giving employees greater flexibility to align their retirement investments with their financial goals and…
India’s female labour force participation rate (FLFPR) has increased from 23 per cent in 2017-18 to around 42 per cent in 2023-24, according to the Ministry of Labour and Employment. In a statement, the Ministry attributed the rise to a series of policy interventions aimed at improving women’s access to skills, formal employment and financial inclusion. It also cited World Bank data, which indicates that India has recorded the largest increase in women’s labour force participation among BRICS nations over the past decade. The Ministry said the growth reflects progress in expanding women’s economic participation through initiatives focused on skill…
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has issued an administrative warning to Reliance Industries’ company secretary and compliance officer after identifying insider trading violations involving two employees and an immediate relative of a connected person. According to a warning letter dated 24 June, 2026, the regulator found that the individuals traded in Reliance Industries’ shares while in possession of unpublished price-sensitive information (UPSI) during July 2024. The investigation covered the period between 1 June and 30 August, 2024. SEBI observed that the trades violated provisions of the SEBI (Prohibition of Insider Trading) Regulations and the SEBI Act. The…
Liberty General Insurance has appointed Puja Agarwal (Biyani) as president – human resources, strengthening its leadership team as the insurer continues to invest in talent and organisational capability. As a member of both the India Leadership Team and the Liberty APAC HR Leadership Team, she will lead the company’s people strategy, leadership development, talent transformation, and organisational effectiveness while advancing the One Liberty culture. With over 22 years of HR leadership experience, Agarwal brings deep expertise in business partnering, talent acquisition, leadership development, talent management, change management, compensation and benefits, organisational transformation, and employee experience. According to her LinkedIn profile,…
AI-first technology consulting firm Tenarai has appointed Hemant Kumar Ravi as vice president – human resources, strengthening its leadership team as the company accelerates its global expansion and AI-led talent- transformation journey. In his new role, Ravi will lead Tenarai’s global people strategy for more than 5,000 employees across India, the US, the UK, Latin America, and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). He will drive HR transformation, AI-powered talent initiatives, leadership development, HR shared services, and workforce capability, while building future-ready talent frameworks aligned with the company’s global growth strategy. With over 19 years of experience, Ravi has…
Germany’s government has unveiled a sweeping economic reform package, and one measure stands out for HR leaders: stricter sick leave rules. Under the proposal, employees may be required to present a doctor’s certificate from the very first day of illness. The option of obtaining a sick note by phone, introduced during the pandemic, will also be scrapped. Currently, German workers can take up to three days off without medical documentation, with a certificate needed from the fourth day. The new plan shifts responsibility to employers, who can demand proof immediately. Extended sick leave through phone consultations will also be restricted.…
The Tamil Nadu government has announced a 25 per cent salary increase for employees of the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) liquor outlets. This is the first revision in two decades. The move is aimed at reducing corruption and stopping the practice of charging customers extra for liquor bottles. Officials reportedly explained that better pay will discourage staff from collecting an additional Rs 10 per bottle, a common complaint at TASMAC shops. The government believes higher wages will improve accountability and customer trust while also supporting employee welfare. This pay hike is part of a broader set of reforms…
Coursera has announced job cuts following its merger with Udemy. These cuts are part of a wider restructuring plan to streamline operations and reduce costs. The company expects to spend $8–11 million, mainly for severance and related benefits. It was in December 2025 that Coursera had decided to acquire Udemy in an all-stock deal valued at about $2.5 billion. The merger was completed on 11 May, 2026. Together, the platforms projected over $1.5 billion in annual revenue and targeted $115 million in cost savings within two years. The exact number of employees that will be affected has not been disclosed…
Global Capability Centres (GCCs) and multinational companies are expected to approach the Finance Ministry through industry body NASSCOM, seeking clarity on the tax treatment of cross-border employee secondments following a recent Delhi High Court ruling. According to media reports, NASSCOM is likely to submit a representation to the Finance Ministry within the next two weeks, requesting clarification to prevent disruption to existing secondment arrangements. The move follows the Delhi High Court’s 18 June judgment in a case involving EY US, which held that payments made by EY India to EY US for employees deputed to India should be treated as…
The Bank of New Zealand (BNZ) is facing criticism from a workers’ union after removing several employee banking benefits, with the union alleging that the changes were introduced without consulting staff. According to local media reports, the bank has withdrawn a range of employee perks, including the low equity premium waiver, application fee waiver, benefits for non-personal entities and discounts on variable-rate home loans. The changes also include the removal of overdraft establishment fee waivers for TotalMoney and YouMoney accounts, monthly fee waivers for foreign currency accounts, and benefits linked to business lending. Benefits previously available to long-serving employees after…
Thinkthrough Consulting has appointed Pankaj Gupta as the head of human resources, based in New Delhi. In this role effective July 2026, he will drive HR strategy, compliance, organisational development, and people analytics to align workforce programmes with business objectives. His expertise spans HR operations, total rewards, talent acquisition, HRBP, HR analytics, and policy governance. Gupta began his career at TCS in 2010 as an HR associate, managing induction, engagement and HR operations. He then moved to CRMNEXT in 2012, progressing from HR associate to team lead, where he handled recruitment, sourcing and HR analytics for a 1000-member organisation. At…
YES BANK has appointed Ruchita Amey Kadu as VP– employee relations & HR compliance (West), strengthening its people leadership with an experienced HR professional specialising in employee relations and compliance. In her new role, Kadu will lead employee relations and HR compliance across the bank’s western region, supporting workplace governance, policy implementation, employee engagement, and a compliant, people-centric work environment. Kadu brings over 16 years of experience across employee relations, industrial relations, HR compliance, workforce management, and people operations. Prior to joining YES BANK, she served as chief manager – employee relations at Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance, where she led…
Alibaba will prohibit employees from using Anthropic’s artificial intelligence tools for work purposes from 10 July, citing security concerns, according to a CNBC report. The Chinese technology company has reportedly classified Anthropic’s Claude Code as high-risk software and instructed employees to remove Anthropic’s AI models and agent products from their work systems. Employees have instead been directed to use Alibaba’s in-house AI assistant, Qoder. The move comes weeks after Anthropic accused Alibaba of attempting to improperly extract its AI capabilities. In a letter submitted to the US Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs in June, Anthropic alleged that…
Golyan Group has named Anushree Tamrakar as head-human resources, promoting an experienced internal leader to head the people function as the Nepal-based conglomerate continues to expand its diversified businesses. In her new role, Tamrakar will lead the group’s HR strategy, focusing on talent management, leadership development, organisational capability, workforce planning, and culture transformation to support long-term business growth. Tamrakar joined Golyan Group in 2024 as general manager–human resources, where she played a key role in strengthening the company’s HR function and advancing its people agenda. With nearly 20 years of experience in human resources, business partnering, and organisational development, Tamrakar…
IGP, a global direct-to-consumer multi-category gifting platform, has appointed Rohit Dangi as its chief financial officer (CFO), effective immediately. Based in Mumbai, Dangi will head the company’s finance function as IGP prepares for its next phase of growth. In the CFO role, Dangi will oversee financial strategy, planning, treasury, controllership, taxation, investor relations, fundraising, corporate development, and governance. Dangi is a chartered accountant with over 16 years of experience in financial advisory, corporate finance, and business leadership. Prior to joining IGP, he served in senior finance roles at Import Express and O1 India. He has also worked with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst…
Ford Motor Company is bringing back more than 300 experienced engineers after its push to automate quality control ran into trouble. The automaker had leaned heavily on artificial intelligence to catch design and manufacturing defects. But the systems missed key issues that only experienced engineers could spot. Over the last three years, Ford has rehired “grey beard” engineers to retrain AI tools and run hands-on quality reviews. Charles Poon, VP of vehicle hardware engineering, Ford, reported that the company had made a mistake in assuming AI alone could deliver results. He noted that the firm believed introducing AI and feeding…
The Karnataka High Court has ruled that a government employee who assumes charge of a promoted post on the very day of retirement is entitled to all promotional and pensionary benefits, even if the charge is taken after noon. The respondent, a school headmaster, was promoted as professor, CTE (equivalent to reader/DDPI) on 31 May 2023. He formally took charge at 5:20 p.m. the same day, but was relieved immediately due to superannuation. Later, he sought promotional benefits from the State, which rejected his request. The Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal (KSAT) sided with him, directing the State to grant benefits.…
Microsoft’s announcement a week ago about a scheduled round of layoffs had spread uncertainty. The company had said less than 2.5 per cent of its workforce would be affected without specifying a number. Now, it is known that the latest round of job cuts will impact about 4,800 employees—roughly 2.1 per cent of its global workforce. The decision comes after a difficult first half of 2026, with shares of Microsoft dropping nearly 23 per cent, marking its worst performance since 2022. The layoffs are part of a wider trend across Big Tech, where companies are pouring billions into artificial intelligence…
AscentHR has acquired APAC payroll specialist OS HRS to accelerate its growth across Asia Pacific and the Middle East. While AscentHR is a provider of HCM, payroll, compliance and workforce solutions, OS HRS is an APAC-focussed payroll-outsourcing firm with delivery hubs in Malaysia, Japan and India. The deal, closed in June 2026, involved AscentHR acquiring 100 per cent of OS HRS Malaysia, OS HRS Japan, and OS HRS India from BREXA Inc., formerly Outsourcing Inc., headquartered in Tokyo. Financial terms were not revealed. The acquisition marks a major step in AscentHR’s regional strategy. It extends the company’s payroll delivery, compliance…
The Central government has redeployed nearly 65,000 former Ordnance Factory employees into regular government service, providing long-term employment security following the restructuring and corporatisation of the Ordnance Factory Board. According to an official statement, the development was highlighted by Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh during his interaction with a 19-member delegation from the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) and its affiliated organisations. The meeting focused on issues related to government employees, pensioners and administrative reforms. The delegation reportedly welcomed the government’s decision, saying it addressed one of the key concerns arising from the corporatisation of the Ordnance Factory Board. The…
A Ford employee who was dismissed over the alleged theft of a $1.95 chocolate chip cookie has been reinstated after bank records confirmed that the payment had been successfully processed. The incident involved Kurt Kromm, a 60-year-old electrician who had worked at Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant for 11 years. During an overnight shift, Kromm purchased a cookie from a self-service kiosk after experiencing low blood sugar. He believed his first payment attempt had failed and completed the purchase at another kiosk before returning to work. About a week later, Ford informed him that security footage showed him taking the cookie…
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the cost-cutting initiative led by Elon Musk during the initial months of US President Donald Trump’s second term, has officially concluded its mandate after overseeing one of the largest workforce-restructuring exercises in the federal government. Established through an executive order signed on 20 January, 2025, DOGE was created with a fixed tenure ending on 4 July, 2026. The initiative was tasked with reducing government spending, eliminating waste and improving operational efficiency across federal agencies. During its 18-month tenure, DOGE drove significant workforce reductions across the US government. According to the Office of Management and…