Author: Liji Narayan | HRKatha

The legality of moonlighting has been a topic of debate over the past year or so. While Wipro fired hundreds for moonlighting, Infosys allowed employees to take up side jobs provided they had their managers’ permission and did not let it affect their primary job. So what is it that makes side jobs so popular amongst the youngsters? What kind of side jobs do they take up and why? Deloitte’s Global 2023 Gen Z and Millennial Survey reveals some very interesting facts. More Gen Zs than Millennials are likely to pursue secondary jobs. A significant 66 per cent Gen Zs…

Manish Sinha, who was senior vice president – human resources, Mahindra & Mahindra Automotive, has been elevated to CHRO, Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services. Indrajeet Sengupta has been chosen to step into Sinha’s shoes. Sinha, an alumnus of XLRI, Jamshedpur, had joined Mahindra & Mahindra in February 2020. He began his professional journey as officer – HR, with Hero Hondo Motors in 1998. Two years later, he moved to Apollo Tyres, associate manager – HR, based out of Gurugram. His next stop was PepsiCo, where he served as sales HR manager from 2004 to 2006, and then got promoted to…

Amidst all the complaints of the boundaries between work and personal life being blurred due to the pandemic-imposed remote working practices, a recent survey reports an increase in overall satisfaction with work–life balance! What is even more heartening to note is that Indian Gen Zs and Millennials seem to be more satisfied with their work–life balance today than they ever were before the pandemic, as compared to their global counterparts. Even in terms of the impact that their organisations are having on the society, their DE&I efforts, and the measures taken by their employers for the health of the environment,…

About 86.4 per cent of the companies surveyed are likely to adopt digital platforms and apps in the next five years, as per the World Economic Forum’s ‘Future of Jobs’ report. About 80.9 per cent companies are likely to adopt education and workforce-development technologies, while 80 per cent companies will adopt big data analytics. Internet of Things and connected devices are likely to be embraced by 76.8 per cent of companies surveyed, while 76.6 per cent will embrace cloud computing. Encryption and cyber security rank sixth, with 75.6 per cent of companies ready to adopt these technologies, followed by 75.3…

Amidst all this talk of artificial intelligence set to eat up jobs, here’s a study that reveals how employees and business leaders are keen to enjoy the benefits of AI. And what benefits would that be? Surely not getting more work done with a smaller workforce. Absolutely not! The ‘2023 Work Trend Index: Annual Report’ by Microsoft says that business leaders are twice more likely to opt for ‘increasing employee productivity’ than ‘reducing headcount’ when asked which benefit of AI they would prefer in the workplace. The answers received from about 31,000 people from over 31 countries were a surprising…

Before 2027, six out of every 10 workers will need training. However, only half of them seem to have access to appropriate training opportunities today. During the period 2023-2027, the highest priority for skills training will be given to analytical thinking. That is, about 10 per cent of training initiatives, on average, will be focused on analytical thinking, says the Future of Jobs report released by the World Economic Forum (WEF). The second priority in terms of training aimed at developing the workforce, appears to be the promotion of creative thinking. About eight per cent of upskilling initiatives will be…

As per a survey, permanent employee appointments have come down in London and hiring decisions are being delayed. While the number of permanent hires has fallen, the number of short-term or temporary hires has gone up for the fourth consecutive month. Clearly, London prefers hiring temps, but the fact is that the rise in the number of permanent job candidates has also been the maximum in Britain’s capital. While job vacancies are rising, there seems to be a hiring slowdown, owing to rising inflation and a weak economic outlook, which is adding to the uncertainty. Also, the reduced number of…

There are many ways in which time and energy are wasted at and during work. Many businesses need to simply examine their processes closely to identify the ones that are outdated and inefficient. Even inefficient use of technology may waste time and energy. There may be too many meetings happening that are taking way too long to conclude. If these issues are addressed, businesses may not require shorter workweeks at all. What does a shorter workweek achieve in the first place? Many countries have been experimenting with a shorter workweek, including Britan, Canada, Australia, and the US. In fact, Britain…

While globally, 43 per cent of women professionals are working in hybrid model, in India alone, 43 per cent of the working women are following the hybrid model. Does that mean Indian women are improving at managing work-life balance? Surprisingly not! In fact, in 2022, only about 36 per cent women felt they were not supported in their efforts to balance their work responsibilities with other commitments, but in 2023, the figure has increased to 48 per cent. This year, women working in the hybrid mode in India are admitting that their experiences at work have become better than last…

In the information technology (IT) sector, it is now expected that a generalist should possess expertise in various new tools, including NoSQL database and cloud administration tools etc. No wonder generalist roles are becoming more complex than ever before. So what are the in-demand skills in the subfunctions of IT? While 48 per cent of the global IT talent is deployed in IT analysis and management, 16 per cent is required for system/IT administration and four per cent for database administration, says a tech skills transformation report. In system/IT administration, the key tech skills required in the OS administration subfunction…

When we hear that International Business Machines (IBM) is imposing a hiring freeze, the news does not really shock since companies around the world are pausing hiring considering the macroeconomic environment.. As per media reports, IBM is freezing hiring for about 7,800 roles, which it plans to replace with artificial intelligence (AI) in the near future. Now, that is certainly interesting news and adds fuel to the global debate over whether AI will take away jobs. This was revealed in an interview by Arvind Krishna, CEO, IBM, during an interview with Bloomberg. As per the CEO, the hiring freeze will…

Tech talent in the non-tech sector is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.53 per cent, increasing from 7.65 lakhs in financial year 2022 to about 11.15 lakhs in five years’ time. It is anticipated that the proportion of contract workers in tech roles within the non-tech sector will go up from the present 20 per cent to about 26 per cent by the end of FY 2027. That means, there is expected to be more dependency on temporary or contract techies. Growth will be fastest in the consulting and BFSI space by 2027, followed…

Can availability of data ever be unfavourable to business decision-making? One would think even the question is ridiculous. After all, we all know how important data is to the very process of decision-making. Surprisingly, a study reveals that a whopping 91 per cent business leaders feel the growing number of data sources has hampered the success of their organisations. A good 72 per cent admit that the volume of data is so overwhelming that it has stopped them from arriving at any decision at all! Interesting, you’d say? Wait till you see the other revelations made by the report titled…

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has embraced a unique strategy to allow its six lakh plus employees to not only upgrade themselves, internally, but also become eligible for better compensation on the basis of that skill upgradation. A fair strategy By offering its internal talent the opportunity to upskill themselves, TCS has identified a fair way to give hikes to the deserving and reduce internal disparity. The high-quality programmes offered inhouse give them employees a chance to enhance their skills and upgrade themselves, so that they become eligible for attractive hikes that may even result in doubling their salaries. That the…

About 44 per cent workers believe they are underpaid for their job, as per a global survey. Among the over 32,000 workers surveyed across 17 countries, 62 per cent are confident they will get a pay rise, while 41 per cent are sure they will receive a bonus in the next one year. However, most feel that this pay hike will come their way only if they switch jobs. About 83 per cent of workers hope to achieve a hike in salary over the next one year, either from their existing employer or by switching jobs. On average, they expect…

With layoffs taking place worldwide, are employees in India worried about job security? According to a survey, 57 per cent are definitely concerned about job security. Only 27 per cent are not worried about losing their jobs. A very small number (four per cent) feel their organisation is not planning any layoffs at all, while about 12 per cent are not sure whether they are worried about their job security amidst these layoffs. Contractual staff most vulnerable If and when layoffs do happen, it is the contract employees who will be most impacted. That is something most of those surveyed…

In a bid to facilitate wealth creation and empower employees, WeWork India has announced an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) surrender exercise. That means, the coworking company will allow its employees to surrender up to 25 per cent of their vested stock options. The company that began India operations in 2017, now has over six million square feet of assets across 45 locations in the country, primarily in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, Pune and Hyderabad. The surrender exercise is also a way for WeWork to express gratitude towards their employees for their hard work and support. Meanwhile, Sula Vineyards has allotted…

Employees today are looking to strike a balance between their personal and professional needs. That is why, a good 51 per cent yearn for a future where work is redesigned such that there is time and energy to spare to spend quality time with family, to pursue hobbies and also focus on learning and development of the safe. About 43 per cent of the employees seek sustainability, that is, business practices that aim to make the environment and the society better. Forty one per cent believe that the future of work will be all about leveraging the power of AI…

It has become quite clear that a pandemic requires organisations to have a resilient workforce comprising members with high levels of energy, enthusiasm and positivity. However, as per a Mercer study of global talent trends, it appears that there has been a drastic drop in the number of energised employees. From about 74 per cent energised employees in 2019, the number has dropped to 63 per cent in 2022, worldwide. This is probably the lowest in about seven years since the annual study began. Interestingly, amongst the generations, Gen Y seems to be more energetic than Gen Z, with 65…

In 2019, only 63 per cent employees felt they were at risk of burnout. However, over the next three years, this figure grew to 81 per cent. Why? The pandemic forced people to change their priorities. In fact, 13 per cent of the employees surveyed do not wish to work at all post the pandemic. For 19 per cent, their job has gone down their list of priorities, but for 52 per cent it has become more important. While women were more bogged down by the emotional demands of the pandemic period, causing them to burnout, for men, it was…

Will India succeed in becoming the third largest economy by 2030? If things continue at the heartening rate they appear to be, it surely will. Not only has digital transformation driven rapid growth but there is a sustained demand for Indian goods as well as Indian talent in the international market. Who has the potential to give this growth a much-required push? Indian women entrepreneurs of course. They are setting up businesses, creating jobs (especially for women), generating revenue and even serving as the backbone of the Indian economy. And there is data to prove this. What the numbers say…

About 24.2 per cent rural men and 49.1 per cent urban men in the 15 to 24 age range could send e-mails with attached files (e.g documents, pictures and videos) in 2020-21, as per a survey. About 23.7 per cent rural men and 48.8 per cent urban men in the 15 to 29 age range could send e-mails with attached files said the same report. When it came to women, 15.9 per cent rural women and 43.3 per cent urban women in the 15 to 24 age range could send e-mails with attached files (e.g documents, pictures and videos). For…

Looks like women job seekers in India should head for Pune, Hyderabad and Chennai, where they are more likely to be hired. As per a report called ‘Moving towards equality: an overview of the hiring trends for 2022’, these are the three cities that hire the maximum number of women applicants, that is, 33, 32 and 31 per cent, respectively. Interestingly, only 22 per cent of Indian startups hire women candidates. Among the tier 1 cities, the least number of women applicants, that is, a mere 21.4 per cent, are hired in Delhi/NCR. Beyond the tier 1 cities, however, there…

Overall, attrition was 21.2 per cent in India Inc. with 16.8 per cent being voluntary attrition and 3.6 per cent being involuntary attrition, says the Future of Pay Report. In terms of attrition, the top three sectors were financial institutions, e-commerce and technology, with 28.3, 27.7 and 22.1 per cent attrition, respectively. While 23.2 per cent of the attrition in the financial institutions was voluntary, 5.1 per cent was involuntary. About 24.9 per cent in the e-commerce segment was voluntary and 4.9 per cent was involuntary. In the tech sector, 19.1 per cent was voluntary attrition, while 3.2 per cent…

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…