A Reddit post from an employee at a Burger King in Illinois has triggered fresh concerns over employee privacy and workplace surveillance. The user claimed that their manager installed a personal camera in the staff break room, raising eyebrows over how far workplace monitoring can go. Unlike standard security systems usually used in such fast-food outlets, this camera is reportedly connected directly to the manager’s phone. According to the employee, the device was not part of the regular surveillance system and appeared to be a separate, privately-operated unit. The post quickly gained traction as users discussed the implications of being…
Author: HRK News Bureau
McDonald’s is hiring massively. It plans to hire 3,75,000 workers across the US this summer. That is quite the hiring spree! By 2027, the fast-food chain hopes to increase the number of restaurants to 50,000. Of these, 900 burger joints will come up in the US alone. It already has about 43,000 outlets across 100 countries. Interestingly, the news of this hiring spree comes at a time when the company posted what was probably the lowest sales figure in the last few years. While it is not uncommon for restaurants to increase hiring to meet the demand surge during the…
Microsoft is gearing to streamline its operations, eliminate management hierarchies, cut costs and restructure. Reorganisation of certain internal teams is already underway. This exercise will come at the cost of what is probably the biggest round of job cuts at the company in over two years. Yes, Microsoft is preparing to let go three per cent of its global workforce. That means about 6,000 employees may be let go from various departments. The job cuts will not spare LinkedIn either say media reports. These job cuts, it is hoped, will help the company maintain its edge and position in a…
A growing number of Tesla employees, existing and former, are calling for CEO Elon Musk to step down, as the electric vehicle giant faces a deepening demand crisis. Concerns have mounted internally after Tesla’s sales declined for the first time in a decade in 2024 and dropped even further in the first quarter of 2025. Despite new product releases and claims of strategic refocusing, employees say the real issue isn’t production or product quality—it’s leadership. According to internal voices, the company is struggling to sell vehicles, especially the newly revamped Model Y, which continues to accumulate in inventory. More and…
Online education platform Chegg has announced a major restructuring plan. This time the company will be cutting approximately 22 per cent of its workforce—around 248 employees—in a bid to reduce costs and adapt to the changing digital learning landscape. The move comes as more and more students take the help of AI-driven tools such as ChatGPT instead of traditional edtech services. Chegg, known for textbook rentals, homework assistance, and tutoring services, has been battling a steady decline in website traffic for several months. The company warns that this downward trend is likely to continue in the near term. One key…
The Tamil Nadu government has officially increased the festival advance for its employees from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000. This move follows an earlier announcement made by Chief Minister MK Stalin in the Assembly last month, aimed at providing additional financial support during festive seasons. The enhanced advance will be available to a broad category of public-sector workers. Eligible beneficiaries include government employees, school teachers, and both teaching and non-teaching staff working in local bodies and aided educational institutions. The initiative is expected to benefit thousands of employees across the state. This is not the first time the government has…
A corporate professional from Bengaluru has sparked widespread conversation after sharing his experience of extreme work pressure and its toll on his health and well-being. The post, shared anonymously on Reddit, quickly gained traction as it highlighted a growing concern among India’s urban workforce — the cost of chasing professional success at the expense of personal life. According to the user, he has been working in his current job since August 2022. Over the past three years, he has been clocking 14 to 16-hour workdays, often staying up until 2 a.m. and still reporting to the office by 9 a.m.…
DHL, the global logistics and shipping company, is set to lay off 364 workers and shut down a major package- handling facility in Ontario, California. The decision, disclosed in a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) filed with the state, is tied to changes in one of DHL’s client’s distribution strategies. The Ontario facility, which supports various warehousing operations, will begin phasing down operations starting 1 July, 2025. A complete shutdown is expected by the end of August. Employees have been affected across several roles, including managers, supervisors, mechanics, inventory clerks and warehouse workers. The closure is directly linked to…
Reliance Nippon Life Insurance has roped in Ruchi Abrol for the role of head-talent acquisition. She moves from Pramerica Life Insurance where she was head –distribution HR since 2023. Abrol, who started off her professional journey as a human resources executive with Citigroup Global Services, in April 2002, joined ICICI Prudential Life Insurance, as associate vice president-human resources, abut five years later, in 2007. Seven years into this role, she switched to Cigna TTK Health Insurance Company as deputy vice president-talent acquisition and HRBP. Two years into this role, she was elevated to the role of vice president-human resources, ManipalCigna…
Karan Bhatia is the new director-HR business partner, PayU. He moves from Publicis Groupe, where he spent four years, with his last designation being that of vice president-HR business partner (people partner, employee experience). Bhatia holds a bachelor’s degree in hotel management from the Institute of Hotel Management (IHM). He has also completed an MBA from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. Having begun as a humble management trainee-HR, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Karan Bhatia sure has come a long way. He joined MakeMyTrip .com as senior executive-human resources, in October 2011. Just over two and a half years later, he…
While earlier Nissan had talked of letting go only about 9,000 employees due to poor business, it has now decided to double the number of job cuts. As per media reports, it is gearing to trim its global workforce by 15 per cent, which may affect 20,000 employees. While low sales in China and the US had driven Nissan to consider job cuts and decrease its growth outlook since November 2024, it is now staring at record losses. It had informed shareholders in April 2025 that it is expecting to post net losses to the tune of $4.74 billion to…
Star Health and Allied Insurance, the Indian retail health insurance company has elevated its chief operating officer (COO) and chief marketing officer (CMO) to whole-time directors and designated them as key managerial personnel. Their appointment/elevation will come into effect on the date the approval is received from Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI). Amitabh Jain, who is COO, has more than 25 years of experience in financial services. He became COO in 2023. He was earlier a founding member of ICICI Lombard and is known for his deep understanding of operational excellence and strategic growth. He holds an…
OPG Mobility, the Indian electric mobility company, has appointed three senior leaders across its MTEKPOWER and OTTOOPG 3Wheeler divisions. As part of a strategic expansion of its leadership team, the company has roped in Raushan Kumar for the role of executive vice president (EVP) and sales head for Solar System Solutions at MTEKPOWER. Sandeep Mathur has been appointed vice president and sales head for the inverter and battery businesses at MTEKPOWER. The third senior appointment is that of Amit Kumar Gupta as associate vice president (AVP) for the OTTOOPG 3-wheeler business. These appointments are expected to help OPG Mobility to…
Genefied, an IT services and consulting company, has appointed Bhavana Khera as chief marketing officer (CMO). She is backed by over 15 years of experience in strategic marketing, B2B brand building and growth leadership across SaaS, telecom and media sectors. In her new role as CMO, she is tasked with elevating Genefied’s global brand presence and accelerating market outreach. She will lead Genefied.ai’s overall marketing strategy, covering brand positioning, product marketing, digital campaigns, communication, and demand generation. Her focus will be on strengthening Genefied’s voice in the enterprise loyalty ecosystem, creating strong B2B narratives, and driving customer acquisition across key…
Vizhinjam International Seaport, Kerala, is poised for major growth, with plans to double its workforce over the next three years as construction progresses. The expansion includes extending the breakwater and adding two more berths, significantly boosting the port’s cargo-handling capacity. By 2028, the port is expected to handle around five million containers annually, a substantial increase from its current operations. This capacity boost will require more manpower. At present, the port employs about 700 people, but that number is set to rise sharply across various roles including mooring, security, technical support, crane operations, and driving. Companies providing essential services at…
SAP is undergoing a major shift in its diversity and inclusion strategy. The global software giant has decided to drop its previous aspirational goal of having 40 per cent women in its total workforce. This move comes in response to evolving legal and regulatory frameworks, especially in the US and Germany. The company is also replacing a key performance indicator related to women in executive roles. Previously, this metric was part of the board’s long-term incentive plan and tracked female representation up to three levels below the Executive Board. SAP will now align this with German legal standards, reducing the…
An Indian software developer based in Sweden has sparked widespread attention online after sharing a detailed look at the employee benefits enjoyed in Swedish workplaces. His social-media post has gone viral, offering a glimpse into a work culture where employee well-being, flexibility, and financial perks are deeply embedded in company policies. In Sweden, full-time employees receive 30 days of paid vacation every year. Offices often close early before public holidays, giving staff more personal time. New employees are welcomed with premium tech gear, such as the latest iPhone and a laptop, as part of the onboarding process. There is focus…
Panasonic is set to reduce its global workforce by 10,000 employees as part of a large-scale restructuring initiative. The job cuts will be evenly split between Japan and international locations, affecting approximately four per cent of the company’s 2,30,000-strong workforce. The move, it is hoped, will streamline operations and boost efficiency amid weakening demand and shifting market dynamics. The Osaka-based electronics manufacturer is initiating early retirement programmes in Japan while shutting down and consolidating several of its operations worldwide. The goal is to transform into a leaner, more responsive organisation. Panasonic, known for its consumer appliances such as washing machines…
ZEISS, an optics and optoelectronics firm launched the ZEISS Reignite programme to encourage women professionals on a career break to restart their careers. This initiative by ZEISS India is aimed to create opportunities for such women, and thus, increase the participation of women in the workforce even while building an inclusive workplace for all. As the name suggests, the programme will support women with valuable skills and experience to restart or ‘reignite’ their careers. The first phase of the programme spanning a period of six months will be based in Bengaluru. It will offer hybrid opportunities across India for women…
IGM Biosciences has shut down a significant number of its labs and offices. The biotech firm based in California has also trimmed its workforce by 80 per cent. Why? Because Sanofi has cut ties with IGM. Sanofi’s partnership with IGM will formally end in a month’s time. The two companies have parted ways in their best interests, say reports. With such a powerful partner gone, IGM has resorted to job cuts to cut costs and save cash. The closure of its labs and offices is also part of this effort. It is looking at ways to reorganise and attain stability.…
Emirates Airline posted a record profit of $6.2 billion in FY 2023-24, and it has decided to share this achievement with its employees in the form of a bonus. Twenty-two weeks’ salary will be offered to the 1.20 lakh employees as bonus and reward for their hard work and contribution to the airline’s success. This would be equal to about 42 per cent of the basic pay of the employees, including the ground staff and flight crew regardless of their tenure in the company or rank. There is no fixed calculation for the payouts, as they will be given on…
Can embracing artificial intelligence lead to increase in total employment/hiring and productivity? Apparently yes! Arvind Krishna, CEO, International Business Machines (IBM), reportedly confirmed that the company has deployed AI to do the work of hundreds of human resource employees. However, what is interesting is that instead of headcount reduction, he revealed that embracing AI only increased hiring in other areas. In other words, resources that were rendered free post the layoffs of these HR personnel were invested in hiring more talent, in the areas of programming and sales. The company was able to invest on software engineers, marketing and sales…
Ajoy Chawla has been named the next managing director (MD) of Titan Company. He has been with Titan for 34 years now, having started off playing various roles in sales, channel management, commercial and demand planning from 1991 to 2002. In April 2002, he became retailing head. For the next three years or so, he managed and explanded the retail network for World of Titan (EBO). May of 2003 saw him elevated to business head, accessories & licensing, working out of Bengaluru area. In this role, he launched Fastrack sunglasses, Tommy Hilfiger Watches (Licensed brands), explored eyewear, leather accessories and…
A light-hearted April Fools’ prank has sparked a viral discussion on workplace boundaries after an employee was fired for placing a joke sticker in the staff washroom. What began as an attempt at humour quickly escalated into a case of suspension and eventual termination. The sticker, intended as a joke, read: “Employees must stop crying before returning to work.” The employee, who shared their experience anonymously on Reddit, had worked at the company for ten months without any prior disciplinary issues. According to the post, the HR had been informed of the prank beforehand and had even provided guidance on…
ZEE Entertainment Enterprises has appointed Rohit Suri as its new chief human resources officer (CHRO), effective 12 May, 2025. Based in Mumbai, Suri will report directly to Punit Goenka, CEO, and take charge of shaping ZEE’s human capital strategy in alignment with its future growth plans. In the new role, he will strengthen the organisation’s workforce capabilities, implement progressive HR policies, and foster a culture of high performance and collaboration. With over 25 years of experience in human resources, talent development, and cultural transformation, Suri brings a strong background from roles across the consumer, internet, technology, and media sectors. He…
Wipro, the Indian technology services and consulting multinational has announced the appointment of Sandeep Dhar as global head of its global capability centre (GCC) practice. Backed by three decades of experience in the GCC ecosystem and consulting, Sandeep Dhar has been instrumental in setting up and scaling some well-known GCCs in his career. He led the transformation of Tesco and Goldman Sachs Consumer Bank GCCs in the capacity of managing director, into strategic centres of innovation and growth. In his senior leadership responsibilities across industries, Dhar has successfully managed P&Ls, driven digital transformation initiatives, and implemented advanced engineering practices. Reporting…