Artificial intelligence (AI) is placing growing pressure on HR teams, with 95 per cent of HR leaders reporting heavier workloads as organisations accelerate AI adoption, according to a study by The Coders Guild. The research found that while companies are rapidly investing in AI technologies, workforce planning is lagging behind. Only 24 per cent of organisations have a documented AI workforce strategy, even though 67 per cent of HR leaders consider AI adoption a strategic business priority. The study also revealed that 91 per cent of HR professionals have taken on additional responsibilities over the past year. Besides managing recruitment,…
Author: HRK News Bureau
Days after Visa announced a 7 per cent reduction in its global workforce, employees affected by the restructuring have begun sharing details of how the layoffs unfolded, highlighting the emotional impact and uncertainty surrounding the exercise. According to a LiveMint report, employees in India received termination emails between 4 am and 5 am on 29 July, leaving many to learn about the decision before the start of the workday. Visa has not disclosed how many employees in India were impacted, although the company has major technology and corporate operations in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad. Reports suggest the layoffs affected…
Singapore added 10,400 jobs in the second quarter of 2025, a stronger showing than Q1, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) reported in its latest Labour Market update. The growth was not evenly spread. Domestic-oriented industries led resident hiring. Health and Social Services continued to expand, and Financial and Insurance Services also added roles, pushing citizen and PR employment up by 2,600. Foreign worker employment rose by 7,800. Most of that came from Work Permit holders filling construction and transport jobs — roles such as drivers and site labourers that MOM noted residents are less inclined to take. At the same…
Apple is inviting US retail employees to participate in its upcoming product-launch event through an internal programme that will allow selected staff members to support the in-person unveiling. The company has opened a lottery-based selection process for retail employees interested in being part of the Event Support Experience Programme. Selected employees will assist with guest management, including organising queues, checking in attendees, guiding visitors and supporting security teams during the launch. The event is scheduled for the first half of September, with Apple expected to reveal its latest range of products. Employees who wish to participate must apply by 8…
PwC Acceleration Centre India has elevated Sandhya Nambiar to chief people officer (CPO), broadening her remit across people operations, talent management and organisational transformation. In her new role effective July 2026, Nambiar will lead the overall people strategy for PwC ACs in India. Key priorities include enhancing employee experience, nurturing future-ready leaders, and enabling workforce transformation to support the firm’s expansion plans. This promotion follows her stint as deputy chief people officer and senior director at PwC ACs in India from January to August 2026. Prior to that, she was head of talent management for the India Acceleration Centre for…
Microsoft is retiring its peer-feedback tool Perspectives as the technology giant restructures its employee performance review process, according to an internal communication reviewed by Business Insider. Introduced in 2018, Perspectives allowed employees to request performance inputs from colleagues, with the feedback accessible to both employees and their managers. The tool was designed to encourage continuous feedback and help employees understand their strengths and areas of improvement. Microsoft informed employees that the tool will no longer support new feedback requests. However, employees will be able to respond to existing requests and export their feedback history until 15 September. The company said…
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation will launch a new global internal career- mobility programme in October, allowing employees to apply for job opportunities across its worldwide group companies. Called Global Career Passport, the initiative is designed to help employees pursue career opportunities beyond their current location or business unit. The company aims to facilitate 20 successful internal job matches globally by the financial year ending March 2028. Under the programme, participating group companies will publish internal vacancies on a shared platform, enabling employees to apply based on their career goals, skills and professional experience. Employees selected through the process will transfer to…
More than 1,000 employees at the Bank of England worked from overseas last year under the institution’s remote- working policy, according to figures reported by _The Telegraph_. The data showed that 1,040 employees used the policy in 2025, spending a combined 12,889 days working from abroad. On average, each employee who opted for the arrangement worked overseas for more than 12 days during the year. Around 5,500 Bank employees are eligible to work from foreign locations for up to 40 days annually, in addition to the option of working remotely within the UK for three days a week. The Bank…
SpaceX is set to face its first major test as a publicly-traded company this week, with the expiry of its initial insider share- lockup period allowing employees and early investors to sell their holdings for the first time since the company’s listing. Around 912 million insider-held shares will become eligible for trading after the restriction ends on Thursday, 6 August, 2026, more than doubling the number of shares currently available in the public market, according to reports. The release of additional shares has raised concerns among investors about potential selling pressure and increased stock volatility. SpaceX shares have already seen…
Nutanix has announced plans to cut about five per cent of its global workforce over the next three months as part of a restructuring effort. The multi-cloud and hyperconverged software specialist company, based in San Jose, California, expects the layoffs to be completed by the end of October 2026. The move is aimed at streamlining its structure, improving efficiency, and shifting resources toward areas it sees as critical for future growth, such as artificial intelligence, modern application platforms, infrastructure modernisation, and customer-facing sales. The company estimates severance and related costs will range between $33 million and $43 million. Nutanix emphasized…
Vinay Bassi has been elevated to chief, HR operations, Cipla. He has been with the pharmaceutical brand for well over five years now, having joined in December of 2020. Armed with an MBA in Human Resources, Vinay Bassi began his professional journey as a deputy personnel manager with PUNWIRE, way back in 1988. Over three and a half years later, he moved to Escorts as assistant personnel manager, in February of 1992. His next stop was Ranbaxy, in September of 1993, as assistant personnel manager. Two years and nine months later, he was elevated to plant personnel manager. After a…
Tata Projects, the Indian technology-led Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) company, has appointed Sukumar Hebbar as the managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO), effective immediately. He succeeds Vinayak Pai, who has led the company since 2022. Hebbar has led roads, bridges, and railways and built L&T’s health business into a profitable vertical. His portfolio also includes marquee projects such as Ram Mandir, Navi Mumbai International Airport, and Kartavya Bhawan, along with key data centre wins. With this move, Tata Projects is doubling down on growth in urban infrastructure, industrial EPC, and data centres—sectors central to India’s next decade…
The Maharashtra government has assured positive action on the long-pending demands of around 60,000 Gram Panchayat employees following a high-level meeting with representatives of the Maharashtra State Gram Panchayat Employees’ Union. The meeting, held at the Vidhan Bhavan complex, was chaired by Maharashtra Legislative Council Deputy Chairperson Sachin Ahir. It was attended by Rural Development Department Principal Secretary Chandrakant Pulkundwar and office-bearers of the employees’ union. According to the union, discussions focused on several key issues affecting Gram Panchayat employees. These included the implementation of a structured pay scale, timely transfer of Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) contributions into employees’ accounts,…
Profound, a new AI-native platform for professionals, was unveiled today by Anuj Rathi and Prashant Parashar, former product and technology leaders from Swiggy, Zomato, Cleartrip, Flipkart, Ola and Walmart Labs. Alongside the launch, the company announced a $1.5 million seed round and opened early access to its first cohort. The founders bring more than two decades of experience building products and growth engines that have reached millions of users. The seed round was backed by leading founders and operators including Sriharsha Majety, CEO of Swiggy; Nandan Reddy, co-founder of Swiggy; Pankaj Chaddah, ex-Zomato; Harshil Mathur, CEO of Razorpay; Kunal Shah,…
Australian airline Qantas is exploring a partnership with Accenture that could result in up to 1,000 back-office roles, including positions in human resources, finance and marketing, being moved to India as part of a wider business transformation programme. According to reports, the proposal is linked to an internal initiative known as Project iQ, which aims to modernise the airline’s corporate operations through technology and artificial intelligence (AI). The initiative is intended to improve efficiency while allowing the company to focus more resources on customer-facing functions. Qantas has confirmed that discussions with Accenture are underway but said no formal agreement has…
PalTech employees have packed 1,000 school kits for children from underserved communities in and around Hyderabad as part of a volunteer-led community initiative aimed at supporting students ahead of the new academic year. The activity was carried out over three mornings before the start of the workday, with employees assembling kits containing school bags, notebooks, stationery and other essential learning materials. The company said the kits are being distributed across government and underprivileged schools, while a second phase involving another 800 kits is already underway. The initiative is part of PalTech’s broader employee volunteering efforts, which focus on supporting education…
A LinkedIn post by a Chandigarh-based executive has sparked an online debate after he shared that an employee resigned, saying the city was “too boring” compared to Delhi. The post, shared by Jatin Gulati, COO of Praper Media, described the employee’s decision to leave after feeling that Chandigarh lacked the pace and energy associated with the national capital. While acknowledging that people have different preferences, Gulati said he believed the resignation reflected a broader mindset rather than the city itself. According to Gulati, the experience highlighted how people often respond differently to new environments. He observed that while some individuals…
Digital asset prime brokerage FalconX has reportedly laid off around 10 per cent of its global workforce as it prepares for a prolonged downturn in the cryptocurrency market. According to a Bloomberg report, the company has also revised its business strategy in Singapore. FalconX is expected to focus on crypto derivatives trading and withdraw its licence application with the Monetary Authority of Singapore, while continuing its operations in Asia and expanding its presence in Europe. Before the layoffs, FalconX employed about 350 people across the US, the UK, Singapore and Hong Kong. The reported workforce reduction comes less than a…
Electronics manufacturing services company Syrma SGS has reported that women accounted for 48 per cent of its total workforce during FY26, according to its latest Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR). The company employed a total of 10,046 people, including employees and workers, as of 31 March, 2026. Women made up 4,819 of the workforce, reflecting a balanced gender representation across its operations. The report showed that the company had 1,620 employees, including 328 women, while its worker base stood at 8,426, of which 4,491 were women. Women represented 20.25 per cent of employees and 53.3 per cent of workers.…
US fintech company Chime is laying off around 10 per cent of its workforce, as it restructures its operations to adapt to the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) across the business. The job cuts will affect nearly 150 employees, reducing the company’s workforce from around 1,500 people employed at the end of last year. The move is part of a broader organisational overhaul aimed at improving efficiency and accelerating growth. In an internal memo to employees, Chime’s leadership said AI is changing the way work is organised and increasing the need for new skills. The company also plans to…
Learning has always been easier to deliver than to measure. In this podcast highlight from The CHRO Playbook, John Cherian, Founder & CEO, enParadigm, explains how AI is helping organisations move beyond traditional learning metrics towards more granular measurement of capability and business impact. The clip is taken from Episode 1 featuring Shailesh Singh, Chief People Officer, Max Life Insurance and John Cherian, Founder & CEO, enParadigm in conversation with Dr Prajjal Saha, Founder & Editor, HRKatha. Watch the full clip.
After almost two and a half years as human resource specialist with Prudential Insurance Brokers, Ashvin Falcon has taken up the role of senior vice president -talent acquisition at Aon, the global financial services company. Falcon began his professional journey as a research officer with Personnel Search Service Group, in 2002. Two years later, he moved to GNV Resource Management as research executive. He joined as team lead at Kelly Services in 2005. Two years into this role, he switched to Aditya Birla Insurance Brokers as deputy manager-HR. August of 2012 saw him joining Aon Global Insurance Brokers as manager-human…
In this short clip from the first episode of The CHRO Playbook, Shailesh Singh, Chief People Officer, Axis Max Life Insurance, shares one of the most memorable ideas from the conversation: why organisational culture quietly becomes the “deputy CEO” and how it shapes behaviour long after meetings end. Hosted by Dr Prajjal Saha, with insights from John Cherian, Founder & CEO, enParadigm, the discussion explores why lasting capability building depends as much on culture as it does on learning programmes. Watch the full video.
A now-viral Reddit post has put the spotlight on what happens when companies ask ex-employees to pitch in after their exit. The employee revealed that days after submitting resignation and wrapping up the handover, their manager messaged asking for “just a little help” with unfinished work. The timing left the person torn between being professional and protecting their own time. The post, shared on the Indian Workplace forum, triggered an avalanche of responses. Most users were unanimous: decline. “Notice period is notice period. After that, you’re a civilian,” one comment read. Others warned that agreeing to help sets a dangerous…
Patreon, a creator platform, has laid off 20 employees and is now shifting from two days to three days in the office for its staff who commute to Patreon’s three offices in New York City and San Francisco and Porto, Portugal. This move will not affect workers already classified as remote employees. The move comes as the company looks to streamline operations and cut costs following recent business pressures. According to internal communications, leadership cited the need for stronger team alignment and faster decision-making as reasons for ending remote flexibility for most roles. The layoffs, which impacted a small portion…
Airspan Networks has appointed Triveni Parab as director, human resources – India, marking a new chapter in her 11-year journey with the telecom technology firm. In her elevated role, Parab will oversee the company’s HR strategy across India. Her focus areas include talent management, leadership development, workforce planning, and rolling out people-centric programmes designed to support business growth. The appointment underscores Airspan’s push to strengthen internal leadership as it scales operations in the Indian market. Parab’s elevation comes after a steady rise within Airspan. She previously served as senior human resources manager from September 2021 to July 2026, and before…