Given the rising attrition rate, numerous businesses in the UAE are currently exploring the idea of providing extended employee benefits. The trend is predicted to create a prospective market opportunity worth around $100 billion exclusively in the UAE. The benefits will include many offerings such as savings options, retirement funds, post-employment benefits and extended incentive programmes. Furthermore, the benefits will also help with the scarcity of skilled workforce within the nation. As per industry reports, the companies in the Gulf Corporation Council (GCC) are facing higher employee turnover rate reaching up to 30 per cent annually. Moreover, roughly half of…
Author: HRK News Bureau
Project Nimbus is a deal between the Israel government and Amazon and Google, wherein the two companies offer cloud services solutions to the former’s military. The deal is worth $1.2billion for the two companies. Back in 2021, when the deal was signed, about 400 employees working for the two tech giants had signed an open letter to their respective senior leadership teams. The services include both storage and computational resources, which enable the user to train powerful artificial intelligence. The employees at both the companies revealed that they were aware how their technology could violate the human rights of Palestinians.…
Soon, there may be an election for unionisation because the VFX artists at Walt Disney have approached the National Labour Relations Board filing for the same. That means, even visual effects employees at Walt Disney Pictures will be able to raise their voices against low pay and the use of artificial intelligence (AI). The campaign will no doubt gain traction as VFX workers from across the industry will use the opportunity to improve their lot. Clearly, the VFX artists realise that Disney cannot do without them and their talent. Fan have also shown their support via memes on social media.…
Bengaluru-based crypto asset platform, CoinSwitch has let go 44 members of its customer- support team due to redundancy. Considering the number of customer queries on the platform, the team handling them appeared too big. Therefore, 44 members of the team gave in their resignations voluntarily, post detailed discussions with their team leads / managers. Since its launch six years ago, CoinSwitch has managed to acquire funds of more than $300 million from various investors, including Tiger Global, Sequoia Capital India, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Ribbit Capital, Paradigm and Coinbase Ventures, via three funding rounds. As of May 2023, the crypto exchange…
On 28 August 2023, approximately 19,000 employees from the MP revenue department, specifically known as patwaris, initiated an indefinite strike. Their primary demands include increased salaries and improved benefits. These patwaris—who are responsible for supervising land mutation processes and are involved in issuing caste certificates—have not witnessed any adjustments to their pay scale for the past 25 years. They are currently receiving Rs 2,100. They wish for this amount to be raised to Rs 2,800. Now, only those who are graduates can apply for a ‘patwari’ job. What is pertinent to mention here is that even individuals without a degree…
In August 2023, Amazon US employees received a mail requiring them to work from the office three days a week. The company’s approach to questioning even compliant employees led to dissatisfaction. Consequently, numerous employees are reportedly resigning. This reaction is partly due to the relocation demands of some to central hubs near their teams. Andy Jassy, CEO, Amazon, warned remote workers against defying the three-day office rule, hinting their time at the company might be short. He mentioned that the time for debating without action had passed. If employees couldn’t align with this approach, he understood, but it might not…
On August 28, 2023, Go First Airlines, currently in crisis, paid its employees their full June salaries ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi and Raksha Bandhan. This move was likely made possible by swift funding from lenders, as reported by media. The airline had recently received Rs 100 crore in an investment from lenders to cover immediate expenses, including employee salaries, airport costs, insurance, maintenance, and statutory dues. Due to operational challenges, the company had previously announced the cancellation of all flights until August 31, after being inactive since May due to voluntary insolvency. The airline confirmed this via a statement on…
In 2013, a CISF constable was stationed at the tunnel gate of ISSCO plant in Burnpur. During his duty hours, a group of troublemakers entered the ISSCO premises. These individuals were armed with hexa blades and were attempting to steal copper wire. Despite their attempts, they were apprehended. However, the petitioner was subsequently suspended and later dismissed from service. This action was taken due to the petitioner’s failure to thoroughly inspect the vehicles entering the facility, resulting in the apprehending vehicle gaining access without proper inspection or a gate pass. The honourable high court of Calcutta set aside the dismissal…
The current dearness allowance (DA) or dearness relief (DR) rate for central government employees and pensioners, respectively, is 42 per cent. In all possibility, the DA & DR rate is likely to increase by 3 percentage points to 45 per cent. The government revises the DA and DR rate for central employees and pensioners twice a year – one in January and the second one in July. If implemented, the current increase in DA & DR will be effective from July 1, 2023. In March 2023, the DA rate was increased from 38 per cent to 42 per cent. This…
Recently, a former Meta employee shared her story of getting laid off at the big IT giant. She called it her ‘worst fear,’ detailing her job loss. She recalled how she got to know about being laid off while refreshing her mailbox at 4am. In March 2023, Meta announced its plans to let go of 10,000 employees and the news caused quite a frenzy all over the internet. Many employees used LinkedIn as a medium to recall their laid off experiences and how they’re battling for a secure future ahead, while looking for new opportunities. Adding to her post, she…
Many workers who deliver items through app-based platforms feel that the government hasn’t done enough to help them with their problems. A lot of these workers, who are part of the gig economy and work informally, assembled at Krishnapada Memorial Hall in Kolkata. They met to share their concerns and talk about ways to make their movement stronger in West Bengal. Their primary aim was to assert their rightful identity as ‘delivery workers’ rather than mere ‘delivery partners,’ reflecting their desire for better recognition and fair treatment. The workers were determined to strengthen their collective movement, particularly within the region…
With an aim to ensure a clear career path for the employees and permit more transparency Air India Express and AIX Connect have rolled out new grades, pay and benefits. The move is expected to help draw quality talent and also retain the best talent within the organizations. This is also a step towards merger and integration. With the revised system streamlining grades and career paths, there will be more transparency and more opportunities for employees to further their careers. This will also ensure that the pay and benefits become competitive. The Tata Group is in the process of finalising…
Employees of Tata Steel Meramandali (TSM) enthusiastically volunteered to make the environment and society better and more positive during the Tata Steel Volunteering Week. Staff from the corporate services and other divisions of TSM have planned a whole range of social and environmental activities to celebrate Tata Voluntary Week. The Week highlights how the company can, as a responsible corporate citizen, do its bit for the good of the community and for the sustainability of the environment. Having started on 26 August, the volunteering activities will continue till 4 September 2023. During this period, TSM employees will be part of…
SenseTime, a Chinese AI firm, has reportedly implemented workforce reductions across multiple divisions. Employees impacted by this decision have been given a week to leave. This is the company’s second significant downsizing in under a year. In April, SenseTime made a significant move by introducing SenseNova, a direct contender to the ChatGPT platform. SenseTime, a company listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange, continues to grapple with the limitations imposed by US sanctions, making its journey towards profitability a continued challenge. This struggle is evidenced by a financial record showing cumulative losses surpassing RMB 40 billion over the last five…
Mahindra Lifespaces, an infrastructure development company of Mahindra Group, has allotted 19,772 equity shares to its employees. The allotment is a part of the company’s utilisation of options granted under the employee stock options scheme 2012 (ESOS – 2012). The shares will hold a nominal value of Rs 10. Furthermore, all equity shares allotted due to the execution of stock options will hold an equivalent status to the current equity shares of the company. All shares will be fully paid-up, as stated in an official filing with the exchange. Companies increasingly allocate ESOPs to foster a sense of ownership, aligning…
Mercari, Japan’s C2C marketplace, has opened its new office for its Global Centre of Excellence (GCoE) in Vaishnavi Tech Park, Sarjapur, Bengaluru, India. The company is also planning to double its workforce as part of its strategic steps to expand its footprint and presence in the country. Mercari India emerged as Mercari Group’s first centre of excellence in the summer of 2022, driving innovation and technical expertise while bridging the gap between Japan and India. It will hire specialised teams focusing on backend, mobile development, infrastructure and more. These new hires will fortify the company’s engineering workforce and also foster…
Women will now enjoy 35 per cent reservation in government jobs in Madhya Pradesh. Earlier, only 30 per cent jobs were reserved for women in the State government. When it comes to recruitment for teachers’ posts, 50 per cent roles will now be reserved for women. This is part of the Madhya Pradesh government’s efforts to ensure that women in the state are able to earn a minimum of Rs 10,000 monthly. The state is also taking steps to encourage entrepreneurship amongst women. Earlier, under the Ladli Behna Yojana, women were granted Rs 1,000 per month. This amount has now…
A new record of sorts was achieved by the UK in terms of visas. The country granted a whopping 3,21,000 work visas to migrant workers seeking jobs until June this year. Of these, over 1.2 lakh visas were issued to people in health and healthcare roles, which was 157 per cent more than the previous year. This is expected to fulfil the country’s labour shortage. Compared to last year, there has been a 45 per cent increase in work visas. With so many strikes happening in the National Health Service (NHS), the UK has been facing staff challenges for some…
Kavita Dasan has joined Suzlon Group as head – talent management and employee engagement. She was earlier chief people officer, ABP Network for over four years, based out of Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Her new assignment at Suzlon will see this result-oriented business leader— specialising in all facets of talent management— working out of Pune. After joining ABP Network in 2019, Dasan managed to build an open, creative and learning culture there, leading to high growth and business innovations. She is credited with designing career paths, crafting talent strategy, keeping pace with the ever changing business landscape, creating a pipeline of…
Chingari, a home-grown short-video creation platform, has laid of half of its workforce in a fresh round of layoffs. The recent downsizing will affect its employees in various departments such as product, customer support, design, and marketing teams. Amid financial constraints, the company is also focused on reducing its expenditures and hence taken measures to do so. As per media reports, the company has asked certain employees to accept salary reductions of as much as 50 per cent. In a statement, the company representatives stated that the company is committed to provide assistance to the affected employees. All the affected…
T-Mobile has unveiled its plan to reduce its workforce by 7 per cent, which translates to 5,000 employees being laid off. This decision, made public on 24 August 2023 , will be executed over the course of the next five weeks and will primarily impact corporate and certain technology positions. The positions affected by the layoffs are those that are either redundant in nature, closely tied to evolving systems or procedures, or not in line with the company’s present objectives, as conveyed by the company in a communication addressed to the staff. By the end of September, employees will be…
Soon the expert committee to review the Meghalaya State Reservation Policy, 1972 will be finalized. A panel lead by Chief Secretary Donald P Wahlang has managed to shortlisted the names of the chairperson as well as the members who will constitute the expert committee that will review the job quota policy of Meghalaya. Only the Cabinet’s approval needs to be sought for the list of names proposed. The list contains names of people outside Meghalaya too. The move has come after the Voice of the People Party sent a petition to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma to speed up the…
In an attempt to simplify its operations, Ford Motor is planning to cut jobs in the US. The layoffs will impact its salaried employees across various departments such as Ford’s gas, electric vehicle and software units. The decision is reportedly a part of the company’s intentions to cut down its expenses by as much as $3 billion within its conventional vehicle division, as announced in March 2022. After the announcement, Ford had communicated its plans to eliminate 3,000 positions including both permanent and contract roles. The layoffs were primarily focused on North America and India. Recently, the company implemented layoffs…
The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has added about 17 lakh new members on a net basis in June. As per the data revealed by the Labour Ministry, 3,491 establishments have brought their employees under the EPFO’s social-security net, by submitting their initial ECR payments during June 2023. It is heartening to note that the number of youngsters joining the active workforce in the organised sector is growing. More than 50 per cent of the approximately 10.14 lakh fresh additions in June comprises those belonging to the 18 to 25 age bracket. That means, first-time job seekers are increasingly entering…
Fear of the roof collapsing over their heads has forced the staff of Lucknow Nagar Nigam to wear helmets while working at their desks. The said zonal office is in a bad condition with its walls literally crumbling. Mortar recently fell from the roof of one of the rooms, but luckily the incident happened after duty hours, and therefore, no one was hurt. However, the employees are not taking any chances. They are wearing helmets to protect their heads in case plaster or loose bricks should fall on their head. The building has been around for about four decades. In…
In the issue of regular distribution of salaries to Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) employees, the Kerala High Court has passed a ruling stating that the KSRTC needs to give salaries by the 10th of every month. The court order also directed that the state government should provide the required assistance to the KSRTC to make this happen. This decisive action by the High Court aims to ease the financial uncertainties faced by KSRTC employees and ensure the punctual and consistent payment of their salaries. The court’s directive highlights the significance of steady and reliable compensation for the workforce.…