Human Resource Community

Akasa Air, a relatively new airline, is planning to expand its operations overseas and aims to hire 800 new employees by the end of 2023. Vinay Dube, the CEO of Akasa Air, recently discussed the company’s expansion plans in an interview with Bloomberg. The airline plans to use Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to serve destinations in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and parts of South Asia, including Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bangladesh. To meet government regulations, Akasa Air is eagerly awaiting the delivery of its 20th aircraft, as airlines are required to have a fleet of at least 20 planes. Currently, the airline operates 19 Boeing 737 MAX planes. Akasa Air has made significant progress in expanding its network and fleet despite being less than a year old. The suspension of Go First’s operations has created an opportunity for Akasa, and the airline is interested in acquiring some of the slots that Go First is expected to vacate, further strengthening its market presence. In the face of increasing competition in the aviation industry, Akasa Air is focusing on measures to retain its pilots. Reports suggest that the airline has implemented a substantial salary increase of up to 40% for its pilots and revised their fixed pay hours from 45 to 40.

Elon Musk has launched a new artificial intelligence (AI) company called xAI, which aims to explore the true nature of the universe. The company, led by Musk himself, will collaborate with Twitter’s parent company, X, as well as Tesla and other companies to advance their mission. Announcing formation of @xAI to understand reality — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 12, 2023 Musk’s previous involvement with OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, soured when he criticized the implementation of safeguards to prevent biased or sexist responses from the AI. In an interview earlier this year, Musk hinted at his plans for a new AI venture called TruthGPT, emphasizing its focus on seeking maximum truth and understanding. Concerned about the potential destructive power of AI, Musk had previously called for a pause in the uncontrolled development of AI technology. While specific details about xAI’s mission remain limited, the company is actively recruiting staff. Musk’s latest endeavour comes at a challenging time as his acquisition, Twitter, faces an uncertain future with the launch of a competing app by Meta and reports of declining usage. Despite these challenges, Musk continues to lead multiple other companies, including Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, and The Boring Company.

Microsoft, the technology giant headquartered in Washington State, has announced a new round of layoffs affecting 276 employees. The job cuts primarily target customer service, support, and sales teams and are a response to economic uncertainties in the tech industry. The layoffs will affect employees based in Microsoft’s Bellevue and Redmond offices, as well as some virtual staff members across various teams, including customer support, sales, and marketing. The company has emphasized that these measures are necessary to streamline operations and optimize the workforce for sustained growth. Microsoft is providing severance packages and additional support to aid the affected employees during their transition. These job cuts follow a previous announcement in January about 10,000 job reductions. The decision is seen as a strategic move by Microsoft to navigate increasing competition from tech giants like Amazon and Google. CEO Satya Nadella acknowledged the difficulty of the decision but emphasized the importance of positioning Microsoft for long-term success in the ever-evolving tech industry.

Twitter has issued a threat of legal action against Meta, the parent company of Facebook, regarding its recently launched app called Threads. In a letter sent to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Twitter’s attorney accused Meta of employing former Twitter employees to create a similar app that unlawfully utilizes Twitter’s trade secrets and intellectual property. The tensions between the two social media giants have escalated following the introduction of Threads, which aims to attract users looking for alternatives to Twitter amidst controversial changes made by Elon Musk since his acquisition of the platform. Meta’s spokesperson denied the allegations, stating that no members of the Threads engineering team have any previous affiliation with Twitter. Twitter has expressed its intention to rigorously enforce its intellectual property rights and explore legal remedies, as mentioned in the letter. In response to speculation about the potential legal action, Musk commented on the importance of fair competition. Meta has not responded to the letter publicly, and Twitter provided a generic automated reply to media inquiries. While Threads has garnered attention and significant downloads, industry experts highlight Meta’s history of discontinuing standalone apps and emphasize that Threads is still in its early stages. Additionally, privacy concerns have emerged, with the app being unavailable in the European Union due to the region’s strict data privacy regulations.

Tata Group, the parent company of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), has posted job vacancies for a cell developer and construction project manager in the UK. This indicates that Tata Group is contemplating the establishment of its new battery manufacturing plant in the UK. The job advertisements, which appeared on LinkedIn, are specifically linked to Agratas, Tata’s battery- cell operation. Currently, Agratas is in the midst of building two factories, one in India and another in Europe. Although the location of the new facility is not explicitly mentioned, the job postings indicate that the positions will be based in Coventry, where Jaguar Land Rover currently produces vehicles. The objective of the proposed battery plant is to manufacture batteries for Jaguar Land Rover’s upcoming lineup of fully electric models, slated for release in 2024. The advertised roles seek individuals with expertise in battery technology and project management, highlighting the importance of these skills in an electric vehicle manufacturing setting. Tata Group’s job openings in the battery-cell operations unit underscore the potential growth and advancements in the electric vehicle industry.

In a recent development, Sushanth Tharappan is set to take over as the new Head of Human Resources (HR) at Infosys, replacing Richard Lobo, according to sources. Lobo, who has held the position since 2015, will transition to a special projects team under CEO Salil Parekh. Tharappan, currently serving as the head of Infosys’ leadership institute since 2019, has a background in succession planning and executive development. He has been with Infosys since 2000, working in various roles such as global head for talent acquisition, head of HR for Products, Platforms, and Solutions, and Chief People Officer at Edgeverve. Lobo, an alumnus of Xavier’s Institute of Management, joined Infosys in 2000 and previously led HR for specific industry practices. This change in leadership reflects the industry’s focus on HR functions, particularly in terms of workforce structure and managing hybrid work environments. This transition follows Shaji Mathew’s appointment as global head of HR in March, succeeding Krish Shankar, who retired. Mathew, an Infosys veteran of 31 years, assumed his role the day after Shankar’s retirement and was previously in charge of the company’s Mysore centre. Infosys has not provided an official comment on the appointment. Source: Moneycontrol

The central government has implemented a new policy granting government employees a special leave period of 42 days for organ donation. This move aims to provide employees with adequate recovery time after donating an organ. The decision aligns with the transplantation of human organs and tissues act of 1994, which requires donors to be approved by a registered medical practitioner. The leave can be taken starting one week before the surgery, as advised by a doctor or registered medical practitioner. The leave can also be divided into separate periods based on the surgery’s nature, as permitted by the doctor or registered practitioner. This policy intends to promote organ donation among government employees and recognizes it as a compassionate act of support. The ministry of personnel, public grievances, and pensions department of personnel and training issued this policy on April 25, 2023. Previously, employees were granted 30 days of leave for organ donation, but it has now been extended to 42 days based on inquiries and references from the ministry of health and family welfare. These orders apply to government employees in civil services and positions related to the affairs of the Union of India, as specified in the CCS (Leave) Rules, 1972. The rule is effective from the date of the notification. The guidelines also specify that the organ removal surgery must be performed in a government or private hospital authorized under the central government health scheme. If the procedure takes place in a private hospital, a medical certificate signed by the relevant head of department (HOD) is required.

Tata Capital, the financial services division of the Tata Group, has recently hired more than 340 management trainees for its management trainee program in 2023. These trainees were selected from renowned institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and other prestigious business schools across India. Tata Capital conducted recruitment activities across 50 campuses nationwide to ensure a diverse group of candidates. The company aims to provide these management trainees with challenging opportunities by offering them positions in various functions within the organization, including sales, credit, collections, risk, finance, HR, data science, and technology. The annual management trainee program at Tata Capital enables MBA freshers to explore and enhance their skills in the finance industry. It serves as a stepping stone for these trainees, helping them gain a comprehensive understanding of the sector and navigate their careers effectively. The company remains committed to empowering young professionals while adhering to its core values of excellence, diversity, and innovation. Avijit Bhattacharya, the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) of Tata Capital, emphasized the program’s significance in attracting top talent and immersing them in the Tata culture. The company is dedicated to investing in the trainees’ professional growth and developing critical skills, with a strong focus on building a robust leadership pipeline for the future.

After a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy announced that the company will invest $15 billion in India, bringing its total investment to $26 billion by 2030. This investment is expected to create around 20 lakh jobs in the country. Jassy and Modi discussed various ways to support Indian start-ups, boost job creation, promote exports, accelerate digitalization, and help small businesses expand globally. Amazon has already committed to assisting 10 million small businesses in their digital transformation and facilitating $20 billion worth of exports. Over the past decade, the company has helped digitize over 6.2 million small businesses and facilitated exports worth more than $7 billion, providing employment opportunities for 1.3 million people directly and indirectly. Additionally, Amazon has supported over 12 lakh Indian businesses in selling their products online, even in remote areas of the country. During Modi’s visit to the United States, he also met with tech executives, including Tim Cook from Apple, Sundar Pichai from Google, and Satya Nadella from Microsoft. It is reported that Modi invited these global companies to establish manufacturing units in India.

Lloyds Banking Group, a UK-based financial institution, has announced its plans to establish a new technology centre in Hyderabad, India, as part of its £3 billion investment strategy aimed at digital transformation. The bank intends to hire around 600 skilled professionals specializing in technology, data, and cyber security roles initially, with a focus on enhancing customer experience and strengthening its technical capabilities. Ron van Kemenade, the Group Chief Operating Officer, emphasized the significance of this investment in Hyderabad’s technology landscape, acknowledging India’s emergence as a hub for technological innovation. Leveraging this trend, Lloyds aims to meet evolving customer needs and support long-term growth strategies. The Lloyds Technology Centre in Hyderabad will become home to 600 specialists in technology, data, and cyber security by the end of 2023. The facility will primarily focus on building internal technical capabilities to improve the customer experience. Kemenade expressed excitement about the company’s technology transformation and highlighted the abundance of opportunities in Hyderabad, given the city’s talented engineers and impressive technology ecosystem. He also emphasized Lloyds’ commitment to contributing to the local job market as it expands its presence in the region. Recruitment efforts are currently underway for the leadership team, and broader recruitment plans are being developed in preparation for the opening of the technology centre later this year.