Human Resource Community

The Central government has taken an active initiative to prioritize the well-being and productivity of its employees by introducing the ‘Y-Break – Yoga at Office Chair’ program. Launched by the Ministry of AYUSH, this program aims to reduce stress, rejuvenate individuals, and improve focus in the workplace. The Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, under the Ministry of AYUSH, has tailored additional activities to accommodate busy officials who struggle to find time for traditional yoga practices. These activities enable employees to engage in yoga while seated at their office desks. In a recent directive issued on June 12, officials have been granted the opportunity to benefit from the Y-Break protocol, which is designed to refresh and enhance focus during office hours. Encouraged by positive feedback, the Personnel Ministry has urged all Central government entities to adopt and promote this innovative yoga practice among their employees. The Y-Break protocol includes various simple yoga practices like asanas (postures), pranayama (breathing techniques), and dhyana (meditation). These can be easily incorporated into short breaks, allowing employees to experience the physical and mental benefits of yoga throughout the workday. By implementing this initiative, the government showcases its commitment to prioritizing employee well-being and creating a healthy work environment. Integrating yoga into employees’ daily routines can lead to improved physical health, mental well-being, and a better work-life balance. The ‘Y-Break – Yoga at Office Chair’ program provides valuable tips to help employees incorporate wellness practices into their workday conveniently, ultimately enhancing overall productivity and job satisfaction. Through this approach, the government aims to foster a positive and supportive work environment that promotes the holistic well-being of its employees.

Union IT Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar has addressed the concerns surrounding the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on employment. He stated that while AI is capable of eliminating certain low-level jobs, it is not yet advanced enough to replace jobs that require logic and reasoning. According to Chandrasekhar, it will take another 5-10 years for AI to reach that level of sophistication. Chandrasekhar dismissed the notion that AI poses a significant threat to human jobs, despite the increasing apprehension among the public. He acknowledged the use of AI algorithms and chatbots in businesses worldwide, which has sparked discussions about potential job losses. However, he emphasized that the current state of AI technology does not render humans redundant in the workforce. Regarding recent layoffs in the Indian tech industry, Chandrasekhar refuted claims that there are no jobs available. He highlighted the substantial job creation in the digital and tech space in recent years, with nearly one crore jobs being generated during that period alone. While Chandrasekhar recognized that AI could eventually lead to job displacement, he stated that the current focus of AI is on enhancing efficiency through task automation. He emphasized that AI is presently more task-oriented rather than driven by reasoning or logic, which is required for many jobs. Chandrasekhar concluded by urging caution and stating that AI’s capability to replace human jobs should not be completely disregarded. He acknowledged that future advancements in AI could lead to job displacement but reassured that the current level of sophistication is not an immediate cause for concern. Chandrasekhar’s comments provide reassurance that AI’s ability to replace human workers is still several years away. While the impact of AI on the job market remains a topic of debate, he believes that the fears surrounding AI stealing human jobs are exaggerated and unnecessary at this point in time.

Torrent Power has signed an agreement with the Maharashtra government to embark on three pumped storage hydro projects. These projects, located in Karjat, Maval, and Junnar, will have a combined capacity of 5,700 MW and require an estimated investment of around Rs 27,000 crores. The company plans to complete the projects within five years, generating approximately 13,500 job opportunities. The strategic design of the projects will enable a minimum of six hours of energy storage per day. Torrent Power currently has an installed generation capacity of 4.1 GW, with a significant portion sourced from clean energy such as gas and renewables. They are also actively expanding their renewable capacity by an additional 0.7 GW. Recognizing the growing need for energy storage due to the increasing presence of renewable power in the grid, Torrent Power aims to address power distribution gaps and ensure efficient energy management. In the previous fiscal year, the company achieved significant milestones, including the integration of five acquisitions and investments totalling Rs 2,938 crore in capital expenditure.

The Punjab government is organizing a placement drive called Rozgar Mela, which aims to offer more than 10,000 job opportunities to job seekers in various districts. The event will be held simultaneously across all districts and will feature the participation of over 425 well-known employers, including Vardhman, Sportking, Flipkart, Airtel, and Reliance. The positions available will have a salary range of Rs 8,000 to Rs 60,000, catering to individuals with diverse educational backgrounds, including postgraduates, graduates (both technical and non-technical), diploma holders, ITI graduates, and candidates with 12th and matriculation qualifications. Even those without formal education are encouraged to participate. Interested candidates can register through the job portal or visit the designated venues directly. The placement drive aims to bridge the gap between job seekers and employers while promoting skill development and training within Punjab. It serves as a significant platform for individuals seeking employment, reflecting the government’s commitment to economic growth, skill development, and job prospects for the state’s residents.

Bajaj Finserv, a non-banking finance company, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Maharashtra to invest Rs 5,000 crore in Pune. This significant investment is expected to create approximately 40,000 job opportunities in the city. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis hailed it as the largest investment in the fintech sector in recent years. The project aims to prioritize sustainability and environmental friendliness by adopting green solutions and adhering to global standards, including a net-zero model. Pune has been attracting numerous investors due to its favourable infrastructure and availability of skilled talent. Besides being a prominent tech hub with several global technology companies and centres of excellence, Pune is now emerging as a financial services hub with the establishment of the expansive Bajaj Finserv Campus. The city has also been recognized for its inclusive hiring practices, with a report highlighting Pune, along with Hyderabad and Chennai, as the top three cities in terms of hiring women applicants. This positive investment climate in Pune has seen the expansion of various firms, such as Luxoft and TresVista, strengthening the city’s position as a business and employment destination.

In response to the growing number of employees working from the office, Accenture plans to transition back to in-person work. By August 31, 2023, all team members in corporate functions are expected to work from their designated locations. Managers and team leaders have been given the responsibility to foster a positive and purposeful work environment, promoting strong connections among colleagues. Accenture emphasizes the importance of in-person interactions in deepening relationships, fostering collaboration, and delivering increased value to clients. Through face-to-face engagement, the company believes that teams can work together as a cohesive unit to meet client expectations. With the aim of creating memorable experiences, managers are encouraged to support their teams and facilitate connections among co-workers. An internal email has been circulated to employees in corporate functions, urging them to return to the office and experience the benefits of personal connections. The company expects employees to resume working from their assigned locations and embrace regular office attendance. In addition, managers and team leaders are encouraged to dedicate time to support their team members in critical projects and help them deliver their best work. Accenture places high importance on employee well-being and safety as more individuals transition back to their base locations.

Despite significant job losses, Australia’s technology sector grew by 8% in the preceding year. Notably, the sector was able to add over 10,000 new jobs in the first quarter of 2023. According to research done by the Tech Council of Australia (TCA), between January and March 2023, 10,500 jobs were created. Additionally, the country’s technology job opportunities increased by 70,000 jobs, totalling 935,000 positions by February 2023. The survey also found a striking pattern: for every post that was lost in the most recent quarter, 20 new ones were created. Most of these jobs came from the indirect technology sector, which includes tech-intensive professions in non-tech fields like retail, banking, professional services, government, and mining. Additionally, the growth in tech employment in non-traditional tech industries denotes a sizable and long-lasting structural change in the Australian economy. Additionally, it emphasises how thoroughly digital skills have been incorporated into all spheres of the business. Tech personnel are in high demand for their highly transferrable IT skills, which can be applied to any organisation, wherever in the nation. The tech industry has also grown to be a substantial employer in all states and territories, ranking as Australia’s seventh-largest employer. Additionally, compared to the average job in each state and territory’s economy, IT jobs are growing more quickly. The research asserts that this expansion highlights the benefits of working in the technology sector, particularly the flexibility it provides and the capacity for skill transfer between various professions. This expansion also fits with the council’s objective of creating 1.2 million tech employment by 2030, which is backed by the government.

Regarding the accumulation of privilege leaves for employees who would be retiring within the current and succeeding fiscal years, Air India recently updated its policy. The airline, which is a part of the Tata group, first modified its privilege leave policy in March to better reflect the state of the market. All employees were only permitted to accumulate 60 days of privilege leaves in a single fiscal year starting on April 1 in accordance with the updated policy. However, Campbell Wilson, CEO and managing director of Air India, proposed a relaxation for those who have expressed worries about approaching retirement. He noted that the airline had previously resolved that any privilege leaves lasting longer than 60 days would be forfeited in a mail to the employees. However, after speaking with external tax authorities, Air India was able to come to an arrangement to postpone the redemption of luxury leaves for individuals who will be retiring in the following two fiscal years (FY 2023–24 and 2024–25) for more than 60 days. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, they were unable to ensure the same ability for employees retiring beyond this time. Employees who are close to reaching superannuation can benefit from this decision because it will give them better retirement benefits. With the relaxation, eligible staff members can now take advantage of the tax exemption on leave encashments up to Rs 25 lakh during retirement. In the meanwhile, Air India is actively implementing its “Vihaan.AI” five-year transformation strategy. Campbell Wilson and other members of the management and Vihaan project teams will be visiting various cities around the nation in the upcoming months to interact with employees in person.

Infosys, a global leader in IT services, is collaborating with Adobe to improve digital skills through Infosys Springboard, its online learning platform. As part of Infosys’ Tech for Good initiative, this collaborative project intends to produce over 10,000 new globally certified Adobe experts by 2025. By granting free access to Adobe’s cutting-edge digital learning materials, the company will help with reskilling and closing the skills gap. Aspiring professionals and lifelong learners can use Adobe’s curriculum and explore their interests. While this partnership intends to develop a pool of knowledgeable and aspirational individuals, it also makes sure corporate learning is accessible on all devices. According to Anil Chakravarthy, president of Adobe’s digital experience business, companies must put a priority on maintaining the preparedness and success of their most valuable asset, their own employees, in order to flourish in the modern digital economy. In addition, he said, “Scalable training can help bridge the tech talent gap, and our collaboration with the company will empower the future workforce to upskill their digital proficiencies using Infosys Springboard.” According to Rajesh Varrier, EVP, head of Infosys’ Americas and global digital experience, “Infosys Springboard is designed to empower people, communities, and society with skills to be successful in the 21st century. Together with Adobe, it will provide free access to Adobe’s training program to develop digital competence at scale, create a skilled workforce and enhance employability”. By 2025, Infosys hopes to have more than 10 million Indians with digital skills through its Infosys Springboard program.  

Apple has notably been absent from the generative AI (GenAI) arena, despite Microsoft and Google making some significant advancements in the AI field. As an indication that it intends to make a significant entry into the AI market, Apple has recently began employing top AI developers and GenAI specialists. Apple products will consequently face greater competition. In order to improve its voice assistant technology, the company has decided to hire 176 people with a focus on machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI). 68 of these posts have been given to the Siri department. Furthermore, 46 posts would be devoted to macOS, while 52 will be focused on incorporating AI into iOS. It’s important to note that a number of roles will call for proficiency across various products, underscoring Apple’s dedication to smoothly integrating AI across its whole ecosystem and delivering a top-notch user experience. To prevent critical data leaks, Apple previously forbade its employees from using ChatGPT and other chatbots. The company said that its deliberate and intelligent approach to AI prioritises consumer transparency. While augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) will be the main topics of Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference on June 5, there is anticipation that the company may also reveal new breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI). Apple’s strategic decision to strengthen its AI skills can have a significant impact on the future of AR/VR because AI is becoming more and more integrated with these technologies.