The general administration department of Jammu and Kashmir, has issued a notification approving three days of special casual leave for employees of the Jammu division stationed in the Kashmir Valley. The decision comes amidst the fervour of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the state. With the electoral code of conduct in full swing across the nation, and the first phase of elections slated for 19 April, various state governments have announced general, public and paid holidays for the voting day. Following suit, the authorities in Jammu and Kashmir have sanctioned three days of special casual leave for employees stationed…
Author: HRK News Bureau
Google terminated 28 employees following protests staged by a small group of Alphabet workers against the tech giant’s collaboration with Israel. The protests, which occurred at Google offices in New York and California, centred around Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion contract between Google and Amazon providing services to the Israeli government. The employees, who occupied Google offices in Sunnyvale, California, and New York City, faced consequences for what Google deemed as a violation of company policies. The sit-ins disrupted regular operations, prompting Google to take action. The company emphasised that obstructing coworkers’ work and impeding access to company facilities were…
After spending well over four and a half years with Unilever, Poonam Burman has joined Godrej Industries (Chemicals) as chief human resource officer. An alumna of the Xavier Institute of Social Service, Burman has also completed an HR executive programme in HRM and services, from the University of Michigan. The first stint of her career was with Hindustan Motors, as deputy manager – HR. She spent eight years there before moving to JayaShree Textiles, Grasim Industries, as human resources development manager, in 2004. Nine months into this role, she shifted to Indian Oil tanking as senior HR manager, where she…
AuthBridge Research Services has appointed Payal Aggarwal as its new vice president-human resources. In her new capacity, Aggarwal will play a pivotal role in refining talent- management processes and fortifying the firm’s dedication to fostering employee engagement and organisational excellence. Prior to this, Aggarwal was associated with Airtel, as its lead-learning and talent management. She joined the company in February 2022. As the talent and learning lead for all B2B employees across levels in India, her responsibilities included crafting development plans, conceptualising functional and behavioural learning charters, and overseeing high-potential development initiatives. Additionally, Aggarwal served as the National HR business…
Sulabh Kulshreshtha has joined Livspace, the home interiors and renovation platform, as head of human resources. He moves from Nykaa, where he served for over three years, as head-employee experience & tech-HR (COE), HRBP (people & culture), well-being and HR communication. Kulshreshta started off his professional journey with ENERCON, as HR trainee and went on to become officer-human resources, based out of Daman. In 2005, he joined Vodafone Essar as HR operations. A year into this role, he was elevated to talent acquisition specialist. By 2010, he became HR business partner. After a successful six-year tenure with Vodafone, he moved…
With the new visa and income rules being implemented in the UK, migrants who earn less than £29,000 will not be able to sponsor the visa of a family member. Earlier, this threshold was £18,600. Clearly, Prime Minister is serious about reducing immigrants. This also means that lesser number of Indian migrants to Britain will be able to fulfil this criterion. This doesn’t come as a surprise because in December 2023, Britain had announced plans to gradually increase the minimum salary criteria for family visas, aiming to provide stability for immigrant families. At the time, it was revealed that minimum…
Discarding conventional hiring methods, information technology (IT) firms in Kerala are going for tests suited to the modern digital era, to gauge the suitability of candidates. These tests help identify candidates who are actually capable of keeping pace with emerging technology. No longer are candidates selected or shortlisted on the basis of their score in their engineering course, or their performance in written examinations and interviews. The new hiring model will see candidates solving real-world problems and challenges before they reach the interview stage to bag jobs in software companies in Kerala. The new hiring process was unveiled and discussed…
Noventiq, the IT solutions and services firm, has launched a new office in Bengaluru, to serve as a hub for its projects, both domestic and global. While the new office will start off with a team of 100, it will soon expand in the next couple of months. There is a plan to hire 500 for the India team, in the area of data and artificial intelligence (AI). Presently, the India team is 3,000 strong, and the aim is to expand to a 3,500 strong workforce. The British company’s gross revenue in India has gone up to $686 million in…
Take-Two Interactive Software, the video-gaming company that publishes the ‘Grand Theft Auto’ franchise, has trimmed its workforce by five per cent. That means, about 600 of its employees will be rendered jobless. The cost-cutting exercise will cost the company about $200 million. The company had a workforce strength of 11,580 full-time employees as of March 2023. For gamers, this is disappointing news because this means, the next edition of the popular ‘Gand Theft Auto’ series—which was to be out some time next year— may be delayed further. The company is planning to discard or cancel some of its games that…
Vistara is in the process of being merged with Air India, and the former’s non-flying employees have been anxious about what their roles will be in the merged entity. Vinod Kannan, CEO, Vistara, has assured them that they would be clearly informed of their roles in May-June once the final approval is received from the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). He has informed the staff that the airline is sorting out the new salary structure basis the inputs and feedback received from the pilots and cabin crew. He has also assured that all employees will be assigned suitable roles in…
In Singapore, fresh measures are on the horizon for workers, as they gain the right to request four-day work weeks, increased work-from-home opportunities, and staggered work schedules starting 1 December. This initiative mirrors a global shift towards more lenient office policies aimed at retaining skilled professionals. The Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices, established by the Ministry of Manpower, the National Trades Union Congress and the Singapore National Employers Federation, unveiled these new guidelines on 16 April. Additionally, employees will have the option to propose alternative arrangements, such as flexible work locations, by the year’s end. While not…
Tesla has announced a significant restructuring plan, resulting in a 10 per cent reduction of its global workforce, potentially affecting around 14,000 employees worldwide. This move is aimed at streamlining operations and slashing costs amidst recent challenges. Notably, the layoffs extend to high-level executives, with Drew Baglino, senior VP, who oversaw the powertrain and energy divisions for 18 years, among those departing. Seems like Rohan Patel, Tesla’s head of policy will also depart. These changes coincide with broader turbulence within Tesla, including slowing sales growth and missed delivery targets. Following a recent decline in vehicle deliveries, Elon Musk, CEO, Tesla,…
Marvel, the Hollywood entertainment chain, has initiated a workforce reduction, letting go of employees across various departments. This strategic move aligns with Bob Iger, CEO, Disney’s announcement of a scaled-back production agenda. As per the report from the Hollywood Reporter, Iger explained that there has been a decrease in output, particularly within Marvel, as the studio grapples with challenges in film production. He outlined a three-pronged approach to address these issues. Looking at the studio’s recent output, there were four films and five TV shows released in 2021. This was followed by a slight reduction in 2022, with three films,…
Globant SA, an IT and software development company, led by Martin Migoya, CEO, is charting a unique course in the post-pandemic work landscape. In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Martin Migoya, CEO, Globant SA, an IT and software-development company, revealed their intention to embrace a fully remote work policy for its nearly 30,000 employees spanning 33 countries. This is unlike the trend among many tech giants mandating a return to office. Contrary to assumptions, the company emphasised its commitment to fostering face-to-face interactions. While the company has expanded its office footprint, it refrains from coercing employees back into physical workspaces.…
Juniper Networks, post-merger with Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), is set to trim its India workforce. The move will impact 10-15 per cent of its workforce, that is, approximately 500 employees. The move comes as HPE finalises its acquisition of Juniper for $14 billion. A report from Economic Times indicates that the reduction in staff is a strategic maneuver following regulatory approvals for the merger. The layoffs are expected to affect various functions including sales, marketing, shared services, product development and research and development (R&D). Analysts suggest that overlapping roles in these areas are likely targets for restructuring. Both companies anticipate…
Ikea has committed to an ambitious initiative: equipping approximately 3,000 co-workers and 500 leaders with the essential skills in artificial intelligence (AI). These training programmes are about readiness and empowerment, ensuring that Ikea’s workforce is primed to lead confidently in the AI era. The curriculum is diverse, catering to employees at every level. From foundational courses such as AI Fundamentals, open to all, to specialised tracks such as Responsible AI and Mastering Gen AI, and specialised training in Algorithmic Ethics. For leaders, bespoke programmes such as AI Exploration Days have been crafted to align AI strategies with Ikea’s business imperatives.…
Debjani Roy has joined Valeur Fabtex as the skill building and leadership-development firm’s chief human resource officer. She has moved from Mind Your Fleet (Kromozones Software), where she was CHRO/advisor since September 2019. An alumna of the Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi, Roy completed her postgraduation from Jawaharlal Nehru University. She started out as a management trainee with National Aluminium Company, going on to be junior manager-HR in her two and a half year tenure there. In 1996, she joined Bharti Telecom as corporate manager-HR. By the time she moved on from there after a successful stint of…
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is gearing to establish a new delivery centre in Brazil’s Londrina. The area is already familiar with the presence of TCS since 2018. In fact, 1,700 people within the city in the state of Parana, in Brazil are employed by the company. The size of the workforce in the region is expected to double with TCS intending to hire talent in the areas of cloud, cybersecurity, automation, cognitive business operations (CBO), information technology infrastructure services (IT IS) and artificial intelligence (AI). The new delivery centre will be offering an array of IT services to clients within…
Government employees in the UAE have been ordered to work remotely on 16 April, 2024. Private-sector organisations have been told to take necessary precautions if outdoor work in some sectors cannot be suspended for some reason. The directive is not applicable to those working for the military, or in the security and health space. Employees whose work requires them to be present at the workplace are also exempted from this directive. With instability in weather predicted across the country, government employees have been directed to stay indoors. Many areas are already experiencing rainfall, with some places witnessing strong winds and…
Tesla has become the centre of attention as speculations mount regarding the possibility of significant layoffs within the company. Reports stemming from Gigafactory Texas have indicated adjustments in Cybertruck production shifts, fanning the rumors circulating among Tesla employees and investors alike. The reports suggest that the layoffs could be substantial, and may go as high as 20 per cent of the workforce. This move would impact tens of thousands of employees across various departments. The timing is significant, following internal issues and external challenges that have pressured Tesla in recent months. Among the internal issues causing unrest is delayed performance…
Fresh off a successful fiscal year, upGrad, a learning platform, capped off FY24 with considerable growth in annual placements and transitions, reaching a record of 55,000 in a single year. Learners have secured positions across nearly 3000 national and global companies, spanning new roles, career transitions and promotions, with annual compensations ranging from a baseline of Rs 4.5 LPA to a maximum of Rs 1.80 crore. The hiring spree was particularly pronounced in marketing, data and tech domains, with approximately 50 per cent of placements concentrated in major cities such as Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai. Karnataka, Telangana and…
Pledging to nurture talent and foster innovation, the US, Japan and the Philippines unveiled a bold collaboration. The move aims to propel the Philippines into the forefront of critical and emerging technologies. The collaboration plans to establish a groundbreaking semiconductor workforce- development initiative. This initiative will see Filipino students receiving training at American and Japanese universities, bolstering the semiconductor supply chains of all three nations. Moreover, the three nations have announced a joint effort to enhance the Philippines’ technological landscape through substantial investments in Open Radio Access Network (RAN) field trials and the establishment of the Asia Open RAN Academy…
Tata Technologies’ iPhone assembly hub in Koothanapalli, Tamil Nadu, is slated for extensive expansion. As part of this ambitious strategy, the company aims to swell its workforce from the existing 20,000 to an impressive 55,000, marking a remarkable 175 per cent increase. Although the media reports nearly 35,000 new hires, the company has yet to confirm this figure. Nonetheless, with a steadfast focus on operational expansion and heightened production, the company is primed to meet the escalating demand for iPhones in India and beyond. Amidst this hiring spree, Tata Technologies is engaged in discussions with Pegatron, a Taiwan-based Apple contract…
Members of Unite, the workers’ union in Britain, have voted in favour of calling a strike against the closure of blast furnaces by Tata Steel, which will lead to job losses. Meanwhile, Tata Steel is reportedly upset that the workers have expressed their desire to go for industrial action while discussions are still on. This will be the first time in over four decades that such a strike by workers will take place at the Port Talbot plant. The company has also written to the Unite Union pointing out irregularities in the ballot process. As per Unite, about 1500 workers…
After serving as executive vice president and head-HR at JSW Energy, since 2018, Rakesh Mehta has joined Uno Minda as the chief human resource officer (CHRO). Mehta began his professional journey with Rallis India, way back in 1993. He spent over two years there, initially as executive-HR and then as assistant manager-HR, based out of Anklesvar, Gujarat. In 1995, he joined Crompton Greaves, as personnel executive, for a little over four years, working out of Mandideep, Madhya Pradesh. The year 1999 saw him taking up the role of executive-HR, at Guardian Industries. Four years into this role he switched to…
Tata Consultancy Service (TCS) intends to give salary increments of 4.5 to seven per cent, on the basis of each individual’s performance. The extremely good performers of the IT services firm may earn up to double-digit hikes in salary. The increments will come into effect from 1 April. Milind Lakkad announced the annual hikes as is the practice every year. In the last fiscal, the company had granted pay hikes of 12 to 15 per cent for the exceptional performers. Lakkad informed the media that TCS’ revenue rose by 3.5 per cent to Rs 61,237 in the quarter ending 31…