Author: Prajjal Saha | HRKatha

The digital age, once hailed as a democratiser of opportunity, has been subverted into a breeding ground for deception. The once innocuous practice of resume embellishment has evolved into a sophisticated, AI-driven manipulation of reality. This phenomenon, dubbed ‘resume fiction’, poses a grave threat to the integrity of the hiring process, undermining the very foundations of fair and effective recruitment. Job seekers, armed with generative AI tools, are crafting digital personas that bear little resemblance to their true capabilities. Gone are the days of subtle exaggerations; today, candidates can fabricate entire work histories, invent skills, and even plagiarise job descriptions…

The tectonic plates of the corporate world are shifting, and HR is at the epicentre of this seismic change. A perfect storm of factors—a volatile economy, the Great Resignation, the rise of AI, and the growing emphasis on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEI&B)—is forcing HR departments to reinvent themselves. Historically, HR has been the unsung hero of the corporate world. Today, it’s in the spotlight, under intense scrutiny. Employees demand more than just a paycheck; they seek purpose, growth, and well-being. The challenge for HR is to deliver on these expectations while navigating a complex and rapidly changing landscape.…

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s recent budget unveiled an ambitious blueprint to revitalise India’s workforce. At its core are three innovative employment-linked incentive schemes designed to catalyse job creation, empower workers, and propel economic growth. These initiatives, aligned with the Prime Minister’s broader economic vision, aim to stimulate employment and support both individuals and businesses. While these measures represent a significant step forward, their efficacy hinges on meticulous implementation and the adept navigation of potential challenges. The first scheme, a Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) initiative, offers a substantial cash incentive of up to Rs 15,000 to new entrants into the formal…

The corporate world is grappling with a perplexing paradox. Once a cornerstone of progressive business practices, DEI is now under siege. The recent, high-profile decisions by Microsoft and SHRM to drop the ‘E’ from their DEI initiatives are symptomatic of a broader, troubling trend. The narrative has shifted. Equity, once hailed as the cornerstone of creating truly inclusive workplaces, is now being painted as a divisive force. Critics argue that equity equates to preferential treatment, undermining principles of meritocracy. They contend that focusing on equity exacerbates divisions and creates a climate of resentment. This backlash has been amplified by a…

The conventional wisdom has long cast employees as the primary proponents of remote work, while painting managers as defenders of the traditional office. But a seismic shift in perspective is underway. New research is upending this narrative, revealing a surprising truth: it’s managers, not employees, who are most resistant to returning to the office. A recent Gartner study sent shockwaves through the HR community. It revealed that a staggering 33 per cent of executives would consider leaving their current employer if faced with a mandatory return-to-office mandate. In stark contrast, only 19 per cent of non-executives shared this sentiment. This…

The winds of change are sweeping through the workplace, and a new conductor has emerged: GenerativeAI (GenAI). However, anxieties surrounding job displacement paint a dystopian picture. Let’s dispel these concerns and explore how GenAI can orchestrate a magnificent symphony of human and machine collaboration, elevating, not eliminating, jobs. The misconception that GenAI eliminates entire jobs is a discordant note. Jobs are intricate tapestries woven from individual tasks. GenAI will undoubtedly transform these tasks, but it won’t erase the need for human ingenuity. While some tasks are better suited for machines due to their tireless efficiency, others demand the irreplaceable human…

The corporate world clings to a tattered myth: tenure equals dedication. In today’s whirlwind of disruption, blind loyalty to a company logo is a fading echo. What truly matters is the invested employee – the one who pours his/her heart and soul into work, regardless of the years on their badge. Picture the company’s founder, eyes ablaze with passion and purpose, the one who built this place from the ground up. That’s the kind of energy one is looking for – not blind loyalty to a logo, but unwavering dedication to the mission. Tenure, however, is a smokescreen. Some employees…

Welcome to the cutthroat world of the C-suite, where CEOs reign supreme and survival is the name of the game. But for HR leaders, it’s a particularly rough ride. A recent Xpheno study has revealed a shocking truth: CHROs (Chief Human Resources Officers) in India Inc. are abandoning ship at an alarming rate! We’re talking a staggering 20 per cent churn, compared to a sleepy 11.6 per cent for CEOs and a snooze-worthy 5.6 per cent for CFOs. Why are HR leaders jumping ship at such a frenetic pace? There be a two-headed monster at the helm of this mutiny.…

The business landscape is a hurricane – climate change whips one way, technological disruption disrupts the other, and a swirling workforce spins in the centre. In this tempest, a new hero emerges: the Superhero CHRO (chief human resources officer). No longer confined to the back office, this strategic titan is reshaping HR, wielding the power to propel companies towards a thriving future. The evidence is irrefutable. A recent PwC report screams a chilling truth: nearly 40 per cent of CEOs fear their companies won’t survive a decade on their current course. This isn’t a drill, folks. It’s a desperate plea…

Netflix has long fascinated HR professionals with its distinctive company culture. Its famed ‘culture memo’, a document meticulously outlining their unique approach to work, has been dissected, emulated, and critiqued in equal measure. The recently revised memo offers a fresh perspective on how Netflix cultivates its ‘Dream Team’ through a blend of radical transparency, high performance expectations, and a delicate balance between freedom and responsibility. The original memo, known for its blunt honesty, could be a bit of a culture shock. Remember the infamous ‘keeper test’? The one that posed a pointed question to managers: ‘Would you fight to retain…

A recent social-media storm, ignited by a tech worker’s tell-all exit interview video, has reignited a fiery debate: Are exit interviews — a mainstay of HR practices — becoming relics of the past? In today’s world, where platforms such as Blind and Glassdoor allow employees to vent anonymously, do these confidential conversations still hold value? For years, HR professionals have questioned the effectiveness of exit interviews. Fearful of burning bridges and jeopardising future prospects, departing employees may sugarcoat their feedback. Vijay Sinha, EVP-HR, JSW, pinpoints the decline: “Employees worried negativity would hurt their references. This resulted in sanitised responses, rendering…

A recent news story sparked debate: an employee received a warning for watching Netflix, shopping online, and using Instagram during office hours. Traditionally, workplaces have been designed for focused work, and personal entertainment may be seen as a productivity drain. However, the modern workplace is evolving. Many companies recognise the value of flexibility and mental breaks in boosting employee well-being and performance. Short, controlled breaks for personal activities can help employees recharge and return to tasks with renewed focus. The challenge lies in finding the right balance. While complete bans on personal activity seem outdated, unrestricted access can negatively impact…

In the ever-competitive world of IT services, staying ahead requires a constant influx of talent and expertise. Happiest Minds Technologies, a young company led by industry veteran Ashok Soota, has carved a distinct niche for itself through a strategic approach to acquisitions: acqui-hiring. It’s not just about acquiring companies and their assets, but rather strategically bringing their talent on board to fuel Happiest Minds’ ambitious growth trajectory. With a clear vision of reaching $1 billion by 2031, Happiest Minds isn’t afraid to make bold moves. It has an ambitious goal, fuelled not just by organic growth, but by carefully-chosen acquisitions.…

The 2015 Volkswagen emissions scandal serves as a stark reminder of the consequences companies face when environmental considerations are neglected. The German auto giant’s deliberate deception shattered consumer trust, resulting in boycotts, plummeting sales and a blemish on the brand’s reputation. Similar ethical lapses have plagued other global brands. Swedish retail giant H&M has faced scrutiny for its labour practices, while the ubiquitous Nestlé has been criticised for its water extraction practices in developing countries. Today’s consumers are more discerning than ever. They hold brands accountable for their entire ecosystem—not just the products themselves, but also the actions of their…

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors are swiftly reshaping the corporate landscape, transcending their niche status to become central pillars for long-term value creation by organisations. This transformation signifies the acknowledgment that sustainable business practices are not merely ethical choices but also catalysts for operational efficiency, innovation and competitive advantage. Emerging from its nascent stage in India, ESG is gaining substantial traction, especially among large corporations and multinational companies (MNCs). While smaller companies are yet to fully embrace it, the mandated ESG reporting under the Companies Act is anticipated to serve as a catalyst for broader adoption in the future.…

We’re a decade in, and guess what? We’re just getting started! Ten years ago, HRKatha emerged amidst a landscape starved of knowledge. We identified a critical need – the dissemination of industry insights – and filled that void with a pioneering daily news service delivered directly to HR professionals. This seemingly modest decision proved to be a cornerstone, fostering a unique niche for HRKatha within India’s human resources domain. The intervening decade has been a whirlwind of transformation for the world of work. Automation’s relentless march, the white-hot competition for skilled talent, and the burgeoning focus on employee well-being have…

Imagine a massive cargo ship, the Maersk Eagerness, caught in a frantic race against the clock. The crew scrambles to load and unload containers at breakneck speed, chasing ever-increasing throughput targets. But their relentless pursuit of speed backfires spectacularly. As containers pile up on the docks, bottlenecks form, grinding operations to a halt. The culprit? Flawed performance metrics, focused solely on speed and ignoring the ripple effects on the entire system. This cautionary tale highlights the shortcomings of traditional performance measurement. Often rooted in intuition and gut feeling, these metrics can lead to myopic evaluations, blind to the interconnected web…

‘Compliance’ is a word that often triggers aversion. Whether it’s seen as a cumbersome exercise or an additional financial burden, the benefits of compliance can be overshadowed by the challenges of implementation. The Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) Act is no exception. While some companies view compliance with the PoSH Act as a mandatory task, there’s a significant number that seek to sidestep what they consider an added financial obligation. Ignorance plays a pivotal role in this reluctance, with concerns that implementing the PoSH Act may lead to an influx of sexual-harassment complaints. The fear stems from the idea that…

HCLTech, a global technology leader, announced a recruitment drive for over 500 tech professionals at its Vijayawada campus on February 17. Targeting individuals with at least three years of experience, the drive seeks Java Full Stack Developers, Java + AWS Developers, and specialists in Microsoft .Net, Oracle/PLSQL, SAP, C/Linux, and SQL/Oracle DBA roles. Established in 2020, the Vijayawada campus has rapidly grown into a major IT services hub in Andhra Pradesh, currently serving over 100 global clients with cutting-edge tech expertise. “We’re excited to welcome top talent to our team through this drive,” says Shiva Prasad, associate vice president and…

This year’s HRForecast, pulsing with the insights of 43 industry trailblazers, paints a bold picture: Skills trump degrees. While it’s true that skills have gained a certain acceptability as a currency in hiring practices, the reality, in my opinion, is that we’re still playing catch-up. Undoubtedly, there have been instances where an exceptional hacker or a victorious hackathon participant from a less-celebrated college has secured a lucrative position with a major tech firm. However, such occurrences remain the exception rather than the rule. If the landscape had truly shifted, the relentless scramble for coveted spots in the country’s prestigious institutions–IIMs,…

A casual WhatsApp request from an employee, asking for ‘late-night party leave’, has morphed into a viral discussion on LinkedIn, igniting a debate about leave policies, workplace culture, and the elusive balance between transparency and boundaries. The protagonist? Ankit Aggarwal, CEO of Unstop, who proudly shared the exchange, sparking a spectrum of reactions from applause to furrowed brows. While some lauded this unfiltered honesty, others raised concerns about professionalism, workload burdens, and the applicability of such flexibility across industries. Aggarwal’s post champions a culture of open communication, where employees feel comfortable expressing the unconventional reason behind their leave request. Supporters…

On November 12, the auspicious day of Diwali, tragedy struck as 41 construction workers found themselves trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi due to an unexpected collapse. Their ordeal lasted 17 days, culminating in a successful rescue on November 28. During this period, these labourers endured darkness, isolation, and the uncertainty of their fate. Their ordeal, however, served as an extraordinary display of human resilience and unwavering leadership, epitomised by Gabbar Singh Negi, the tunnel foreman. Amidst the chaos and despair, Negi emerged as a beacon of hope and a pillar of strength for his fellow workers. His calm…

A few decades ago, it was impossible to imagine a CEO or a CHRO coming down to the shop floor to interact with the workers. Today, however, this has become regular practice. The age of Industrial Relations (IR) 3.0 is here. Mutual acceptance, harmony, gratitude, and respect for each other have replaced volatility, exploitation, confrontations, conflicts, strikes and lockouts. Both parties — the workers and the management — are now well aware that growth and survival cannot be possible without each supporting the other. Zubin Palia, chief group HR & IR, Tata Steel, shares an interesting observation. “Previously, there were…

Q. How satisfying has been your professional journey of 39 years? A. It has been a bagful of mixed experiences. At times I have been very satisfied, and at other times, not so much. However, I think I have been extremely lucky. My professional journey started in 1984 at the age of 21. My first salary was Rs 1950, a princely sum in those days. I had a very interesting start, with an Eicher factory at Parwanoo in Himachal Pradesh, some 36 km from Chandigarh. I was supposed to join on 1 June, so I reached Chandigarh on 31 May,…

For decades, the HR budget was mainly about salary and wages.However, with the evolution of the workplace, HR budgets are also becoming more exhaustive. This is because, earlier, only the knowledge-based industries considered their people to be their assets. Now, even other sectors are moving towards a knowledge-based economy. This has brought about a change in mindset, and of course, spends on people and HR. In addition to salaries and wages, a typical HR budget now allocates funds for hiring, benefits, talent management, learning and development, training, succession planning, workforce engagement and employee-wellness planning. It’s true that a lion’s share…

Q. You spent 16 years at LIC before moving to a corporate role at ICICI Prudential. Now, 22 years on, I am still curious to know, what cultural differences did you experience while shifting from a PSU to the private sector? A. A big difference for me was the shift from a large established company to a startup which was still in its building phase. Back then, the licensing process at ICICI Prudential had just started, whereas a year after I had joined LIC, it had celebrated its 30th year post nationalisation. It is essential to understand that people who…