Author: Liji Narayan | HRKatha

According to a mental health study, employees are more likely to flourish (experience optimum mental health) and be in-flow (at the peak of efficiency), and thus be less likely to quit if their skills match the work they are assigned to do. They are also likely to be efficient and less likely to move on if they are given at least some decision-making power over how they do their job or work. This is also the case if they have managers who help develop their career and set clear goals and expectations. Interestingly, in terms of flexibility, flourishing and in-flow…

It is true that there are certain key business skills that employees require, irrespective of the role they are essaying or the level at which they are in the organisational hierarchy. According to a report, learners today are attaching a lot of importance to communication, highlighting the significance of alignment, collaboration, teamwork, conflict mitigation and enabling productivity. Five out of the top 10 consumed business skills are focussed on methods of communication or leadership skills. These are, communication skills; leadership; business communication; meetings; and management skills. The other five skills are those pertaining to project management, operations and tools —project…

Mel Gibson’s character in the 2000 romantic fantasy comedy film, ‘What Women Want’, was fortunate enough to be able to listen in on women’s thoughts. Normal human beings, however, do not have such a gift. Therefore, we rely on surveys and the data revealed therein to try and understand what women professionals seek. One such survey report says that a whopping 82 per cent working women seek career advancement, followed by compensation (78 per cent) and purposeful work (66 per cent). What happened to flexibility? Very surprisingly, only one in three prioritised flexible work options and work-life balance! Women’s priorities…

Although group health insurance can cover the employees as well as their dependents, a report reveals that only 30 per cent employers extend benefits to the families of their employees. An alarming 75 per cent of employers fail to extend benefits to the parents of their employees. This is rather disturbing, because the likelihood of employees raising claims for their families is much higher than for their own selves. As per the report by an Indian employee benefits and digital healthcare platform, while seven out of 10 early-stage companies (with less than 200 employees) extend benefits to their employees’ families,…

It is true that India Inc. is increasing efforts to attract women employees. A significant 33 per cent of employers feel that providing flexible roles can impact hiring and retention of STEM women employees in the workforce. But what do STEM women professionals expect from their employers? As per the report, the top three expectations of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) women employees from the organisation they would join are flexibility, maternity benefits and learning and development (L&D) opportunities. A significant 51 per cent STEM women expect flexible and remote work policies, while 45 per cent expect maternity/paternity policies.…

Although there has been only a slight increase in the percentage of women in senior leadership roles, a 2023 survey by Grant Thornton reveals that the roles women hold have certainly broadened. An increase has been seen in the percentage of women donning the chief executive officer (CEO)/ managing director (MD) as well as chief information officer (CIO) hats. In 2019, only 15 per cent of businesses had women CEOs / MDs. Now, this figure has improved to 28 per cent. While there were 16 per cent businesses with women in CIO positions in 2019, the figure has now improved…

With more organisations across the world putting in efforts to make workplaces more inclusive, a significant number of men have begun to see women as equal or almost so. Most men today do not consider gender as a drawback when it comes to employees joining the senior ranks in the organisation, reveals a research by IBM Consulting and Chief. In 2019, less than one-third of men thought it was as likely for a woman to be a CEO as a man. Today, that is, in 2023, 54 per cent men share the same view! That is quite an improvement. It…

We all know that production-linked incentive (PLI) is a scheme from the Indian government aimed at boosting the productivity of domestic manufacturing and industrial sectors. This boost is essential for employment generation as well as taxation and social welfare. A majority of the employers (71 per cent) across small- and medium-sized organisations foresee an increase in hiring as a result of the PLI scheme in the upcoming two years. However, barely 22 per cent of the large organisations believe hiring will increase in the next two years because of PLI. About 53 per cent of the large organisations do not…

International Women’s Day is around the corner, but surveys reveal that women still have a long way to go. Worldwide, women hold only 23 per cent of executive roles. It seems, the more senior the role, the wider is the gender gap, according to a Moody’s Analytics report. Even the sectors where productivity is expected to be high, owing to the rapid digitisation of the economy, such as information technology, have fewer women in leadership roles than other service sectors. That means, women will end up being deprived of the compensation and income gains men enjoy in such rapidly-growing sectors.…

By 2030, some skills will become crucial in the Indian employment market. As per experts, if India misses this opportunity to become prosperous, it will fall into a decade-long period of sluggishness. Some of the vital skills that will become necessary by 2030 are as follows: Digital literacy or the ability to study and work comfortably in a digital environment. This kind of literacy also means the ability to operate hardware, software and applications in a safe and self-assured manner. Data literacy or the ability to successfully use data. This skill will be sought after by businesses because it is…

That the pandemic has pushed organisations to rethink operations is something that we are all aware of. But did we ever imagine that the younger lot of job seekers will give so much importance to the quality of the office while looking for a job? That is what is happening in the US, as per a survey by Honeywell. In fact, workplace quality is a deciding factor in job search! A survey in 2021 by the same company had found that facility managers in the education, healthcare and real estate sectors as well as those from data centres were sure…

Are organisations replacing staff with ChatGPT? The AI chatbot has managed to save significant amounts of money for many companies in the US that have implemented it. In fact, a survey by Resumebuilder.com has revealed that 48 per cent of the 1,000 organisations interviewed in the US were able to save more than $50,000 by using the chatbot instead of human employees! A significant 25 per cent even managed to save $75,000! On the whole, about 99 per cent of companies admit to having saved money by using ChatGPT. If companies have managed to save thousands of dollars in costs…

While it feels good to see India assuming the G20 presidency for 2023, it remains to be seen how much effort it will put to accelerate women-led development and empower its women. Some statistics from a recent ‘Women and Work: How India fared in 2022’ report by IWWAGE, reveal less encouraging facts. The report cites some rather disappointing findings of a survey by FSG, wherein 6,600 working-age women were interviewed, from low-income households in 16 cities across 14 states in India. It is alarming to see that women still have to seek permission from men to go out and take…

With news of layoffs and fear of recession gripping businesses worldwide, employers are desperately adopting measures to save costs. As the hybrid model of work gains in popularity, employers are trying to cash in on the benefits of remote hiring, in terms of cost and time saving. Here’s what a market study reveals. Campus hiring: When it comes to campus-level hiring, employers find that cost saving and time saving are the biggest benefits. The second biggest benefit comes in the form of access to a wide pool of talent and efficiency in terms of processes. Of the 279 recruiters as…

Given the surge in demand for services in the post-pandemic era, and attempts to build a cost-efficient workplace, global captive centres or GCCs in India are optimistic about their plans to hire for the next one year. In fact, eight per cent believe that their workforce will double over the next 12 months. As per the India Captivating report by NLB Services, at least 1,500 GCCs have been set up in India, and they are all looking for high-quality talent. With these GCCs contributing over one per cent of the GDP of India, opportunities being offered by them are immense.…

All H1B visa holders employed with Twitter, and who have been laid off will need to find another job within two months to be able to continue living in the US. There are many Indians with H1B visas who have been asked to leave by Twitter. If they fail to find an alternate job within 60 days, as per visa rules, they will have to return to India. In such cases, Twitter, the Company that originally employed them, is bound by law to bear the expenses of their return to their home country. As reported by India Today, many H1B…

Metropolis Healthcare (MHL), the diagnostic service company has launched its employee value proposition (EVP) based on the five pillars of trust, openness, innovation, compassion and growth mindset. The EVP statement aptly reads, ‘Taking Life up a Notch’. The EVP has been derived post many internal surveys and various discussions engaging senior leadership teams, as well as managers and their employees, across levels and functions in India as well as abroad. The objective is to strengthen MHL’s commitment towards employees and to become the ‘Employer Brand of Choice’. Acccording to Ishita Medhekar, chief human resources officer, Metropolis Healthcare, “Our EVP reiterates…

Are your employees increasingly taking leaves due to some pain or the other? Have you noticed your team members complaining of frequent headaches, neck pain and back pain? Did you know that a significant 76 per cent of employees complained about work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) while working from office? A whopping 82 per cent of employees are concerned about body pain while working from home. Factors such as sedentary postures, absence of ergonomic remote workspaces, and prolonged working hours definitely aggravate WMSDs in those working from home. That means, whether your employees are working from office or from home, they…

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has grabbed headlines yet again for promoting the work from office culture. The Company has been very openly critical about the 100 per cent work-from-home culture always. It has promoting a hybrid work model wherein it expects its employees to come to office at least three days in a week. As per the latest development reported by TOI, the Company has asked its employees to furnish a medical certificate or reports of treatment and diagnoses, if they wish to work from home. These proofs, reports or certificates will be examined by TCS’ internal panel of doctors…

Meddo Health, the Indian 360-degree connected health-tech platform has hired 30 people, including senior leaders in its team, within two months. It has also revealed its plans to keep on growing and hiring. Since its inception in 2018, Meddo Health has recorded a growth rate of 120 per cent. Having established a presence in the tier 2 and 3 cities across India, the platform has recently added 30 senior leaders, including regional heads, managers and team leaders in the operations and IT department. Saurabh Kochhar, CEO and founder, Meddo Health said the hiring plans prove the Company’s “commitment to accelerate…

What is digital transformation all about? Is it easier said than done? What does it really take to be able to ride the waves of automation? Is the impact of digitalisation same at all levels of the organisational hierarchy? These were just some of the innumerable relevant questions for which answers were provided by the panel of experts from the HR fraternity who graced HRKatha’s Automation.Nxt. This was the first ever conference in the country where HR leaders shared their automation-related experiences and the challenges they posed for the HR function in particular. The panel comprised Sanjay Bose, EVP-HR and…

As part of its new diversity goals, Citigroup plans to make 3.5 per cent hires from LGBTQ community. Earlier, only 2.1 per cent of the hires were lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender and questioning. Now, the Bank has decided to increase the representation of women in senior levels, including assistant vice president (AVP) and managing director (MD). Presently, only about 40 per cent of women are found in such senior ranks. From now on, the Bank will endeavour to improve this figure and take it to 43.5 per cent by 2025. Upholding its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, it plans…

The new rates would be effective from July 11, 2022, and the labourers will be given arrears The Government of Sikkim has hiked minimum wage by 67 per cent, from Rs 300 to Rs 500. That means, even unskilled workers will be able to earn at least Rs 15,000 in 30 days. The new wage will come into retrospective effect from 11 July, 2022, as per Labour Minister Lok Nath Sharma. Semi-skilled workers will now be able to earn a daily wage of Rs 520 as compared to the Rs 320 that they used to earn earlier. Skilled workers who…

The CEO of HCL Tech is reportedly the highest-paid CEO in India, receiving about Rs 130 crore in compensation. The CEO of Wipro earns about Rs 80 crore annually, while the Infosys CEO was paid about Rs 71 crore in FY 2021-22. What whopping amounts! But why are CEOs paid so much? Is it because they make important decisions? But surely they aren’t the only ones making decisions. Aren’t managers in organisations also making equally important decisions all the time? And so much more frequently? These are questions that have plagued all of us at some point, but only Harjeet…

Over 10,000 contractual employees from more than 40 Odisha government departments held a day’s peaceful protest on 11 September 2022, seeking change in policy. These employees want to be paid salaries as per ‘equal pay for equal work’ policy. They want the state government to do away with the rules of contractual appointment. The protestors comprises welfare extension officers and teachers as well who protested despite the heavy rainfall. The protest was held under the aegis of the Odisha Government Contractual Employees Association. The Association has been demanding an end to the system of contractual employment for some time now.…

In a weekly interaction with employees, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO, Meta, which owns Facebook, has indicated that the Company will up the heat in terms of performance reviews. Zuckerberg made it clear that there are some people in the company who are not able to meet their targets and that such people should realistically not be present in the company. Zuckerberg further mentioned that the company will need to be more strict in terms of employees meeting their targets and hinting that non-performers should realise that Facebook is probably not the place for them. The CEO has indicated that the company…