IT STAFF WORKING HOURS
In the UK election campaign's final hours, Sunak battles to the end as Labour's Starmer eyes victory
Rishi Sunak, the current UK prime minister, is facing a national election on Thursday, marking the end of his 20-month tenure and the four Conservative prime ministers before him. The Labour Party is expected to elect a government that has not been in power since 2005. Sunak has expressed confidence in the outcome of the election, stating that things have turned a corner. Labour leader Keir Starmer has been campaigning for change, urging voters to support his center-left party.
Women in India face a jobs crisis. Are factories the solution?
As international brands limit their dependence on China by shifting some manufacturing to India, the trend holds the potential to generate significant numbers of manufacturing jobs - especially for women, who have largely been excluded from the ranks of formal Indian employment.
Team India stuck in Barbados as Hurricane Beryl shuts down airport, expected to open in next 6 to 12 hours
The Indian cricket team, stranded in Barbados after winning the T20 World Cup, may finally return home as Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley expects the airport to reopen within the next six to 12 hours. Hurricane Beryl had forced a shutdown, but Mottley is overseeing efforts to resume normal operations urgently. Despite damage to coastal areas, Barbados avoided a direct hit. Mottley acknowledged the team's patience and spirits after their victory, hopeful they will soon depart before the next hurricane arrives midweek.
Ratan Tata prevents mass firing of 115 TISS staff, provides financial grants
Ratan Tata has emerged as a savior for TISS employees. Recently, the prestigious Tata Institute of Social Sciences laid off 115 staff members. However, this decision was quickly reversed after Tata, chairman of the Tata Education Trust, offered to extend financial grants.
Third Eye: Party with several differences, extension after extension and govt tracks attendance, working hours of staff
The recent government directive requiring staff to arrive punctually and adhere to designated working hours has evoked memories reminiscent of 2014, when the NDA returned to power. BJP's review meetings in Uttar Pradesh have been marked by disorderly scenes, particularly in constituencies where the party faced defeat. Incidents of arguments, commotion, and even physical altercations have been reported from places like Saharanpur, Faizabad, Siddharthnagar, among others.
View: Gender diversity needs work
This year, 797 women candidates contested the general elections, constituting 9.6% of the total 8,337 candidates. Only 74 of them won a seat in the 18th Lok Sabha - four fewer than the number of women in the 17th Lok Sabha. This comes less than a year after the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill, which reserves one-third of seats in Lok Sabha and assemblies for women.
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Hinduja Family, UK's richest, facing charges for human trafficking, paying domestic staff less than spending on dog in Switzerland
Four members of the Hinduja family are facing charges in Switzerland over allegations of exploiting their domestic staff, including human trafficking and unfair treatment. The case highlights stark contrasts in treatment and expenditures on their staff and pet dog, sparking a broader conversation on domestic worker mistreatment in Geneva.
Hinduja family staff settle civil lawsuit over domestic workers’ exploitation allegations
A deal to end the civil suit was reached this week, Olivier Peter, a lawyer for one of the three claimants said, without confirming the details of the accord. The settlement comes more than six years after the workers filed their case. The legal proceedings have been beset by delays but got underway this week in Geneva.
IKEA did what others only talk of doing & it was a gamechanger for India staff
IKEA faced high employee turnover globally. In India, to retain staff, IKEA introduced subsidized daycare, 26 weeks of parental leave, and a five-day workweek. These benefits have significantly improved employee satisfaction and retention, reflecting IKEA's commitment to addressing local worker needs and enhancing their work-life balance.
Startups’ new hiring strategies; unprecedented poll buzz online
Happy Thursday! While layoffs continue, startups are strategically refilling certain open positions with lower-salaried junior staff to cut costs. This in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.
Cashless claims to be cleared in 3 hours
Irdai has also mandated the insurer to decide on the cashless authorisation within one hour of receipt of the request.
As work-from-home trend declines, flexible office spaces work for employees and companies
Providing convenience and flexibility for employees on one hand, cost-effectiveness, and asset-light models for employers on the other, coworking/managed spaces are booming. Demand for such spaces is soaring in large metros and Tier-2 cities alike as companies tighten return-to-office rules.
Indians give eateries cold shoulder amid head-spinning heat
Extreme heatwave conditions across India have significantly impacted restaurants, pubs, and bars, leading to a sharp decline in sales and footfalls, with some outlets reporting up to a 40% decrease. Al fresco dining and high street locations are worst affected, especially during lunch hours, which are seeing a notable drop in business. The heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius in some places, has led people to avoid outdoor dining, impacting sales till about 6 pm.
Ankush Aggarwal returns to Ola Cabs; declining H-1B visas for IT staff
Happy Tuesday! Ola Cabs founder Bhavish Aggarwal’s brother Ankush is back at the ride-hailing business. More on this in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.
AI-Vistara merger: Fitment of over 7,000 staff to be complete in June
Air India CEO and MD Campbell Wilson along with Vistara CEO Vinod Kannan on Monday held a one-and-a-half-hour long townhall meeting with the employees of both carriers about the proposed merger.
US aims to stay ahead of China in using AI to fly fighter jets, navigate without GPS and more
The recent dogfight between two Air Force fighter jets in California showcased the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, with one jet being piloted by AI. This development reflects the military's focus on AI and its potential use in weapon systems, amid competition with China. From machine learning to AI-enabled autonomy, the military has been pioneering various AI applications. Projects like Vista, an AI-controlled F-16, and AI-based GPS alternatives demonstrate the breadth of ongoing efforts.
India-France to hold 7th edition of Exercise 'Shakti' from May 13-26
India and France are set to conduct the 7th edition of the Joint Military Exercise 'Shakti' from May 13-26 in Meghalaya's Umroi region. The exercise aims to enhance joint military capacity for Multi-Domain Operations in a Sub Conventional scenario. It will also promote interoperability and camaraderie between the armed forces of both nations. The previous edition of the exercise was held in France in 2021. This upcoming exercise highlights the strengthening defence ties between India and France.
High-powered committee to implement breaks for food, nature's call for train drivers
The Ministry of Labour has constituted a high-powered committee to work out the modalities "to provide defined time intervals for food and attending calls of the nature while on duty for the Loco Running Staff of the Indian Railway". The initiative is in line with the International Labour Organisation's (ILO) Hours of Work (Industry) Convention, 1919, which has been ratified by India.
Tesla interns' offers are getting revoked weeks before their start date
Tesla layoffs: Elon Musk's Tesla has revoked summer internship offers, leaving aspiring interns scrambling just weeks before the start date, due to cost-cutting measures amid layoffs at the electric carmaker. The decision is impacting thousands of students globally who were set to intern at Tesla, highlighting the company's shifting priorities and the harsh realities of the professional world.
Stepping up to beat the heat: India Inc lines up cool work plans for staff this summer
Several companies in India are implementing flexible work practices for white-collar workers, particularly those in sales and field-related roles, to protect them from the extreme summer heat and maintain efficiency. With the Indian Meteorological Department warning of a potentially record-breaking hot year in 2024, companies like Panasonic, MG Motors, KPMG, Deloitte, Mudrex, and PeepalCo are adopting measures such as flexible work hours, online meetings, hydration stations, and awareness campaigns on heat exhaustion.
Top 20% of Urban Company partners earn 50% more than entry-level IT staff
According to Urban Company's H2 2023 Earnings Index, service partners who provide over 30 services per month earned a monthly net income of Rs 33,469.
Tesla Germany staff to elect new council to gain control over work conditions
The elections for the new works council, to be held on March 18-20, are aimed at filling 39 seats, according to IG Metall, the top German trade union which has put forward 106 candidates in an attempt to get a majority.
Workforce attrition in restaurant sector at three-year high amid expansion
Investment and funding have picked up in recent months, with new local entrants and global chains driven by India’s young population, among other factors, adding to new work opportunities and hence, faster churn, as workers are switching jobs even for modest package increases.
Companies step up background checks on logistics, delivery staff
OnGrid, AuthBridge, IDfy and BetterPlace are among the background check service providers that said there has been a sharp increase in mandates as background checks and employee verification - once confined to conventional sectors like IT and banking - extends its reach across e-commerce, transportation, logistics, retail and healthcare, among others.
Day before security breach in Parliament, CPWD floated tender for additional security infrastructure
The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has floated a tender for additional security infrastructure, including security gadgets and bulletproof enclosures for security personnel at the Parliament complex. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 35 crore.
IT staff forced to work 50 hours/week to meet deadlines: data
IT employees in the country work on an average work for around 45-50 hours per week, translating around 10 hours a day in the 5-day week while the standard is 40 hours a week as a large part of them is often compelled to work longer hours to meet project deadlines, as per data from staffing firms.
ILO doesn't clock in to Narayana Murthy's 70-hour work week model
As per the ILO, the premise that long working hours result in high productivity is a myth. Working excessively long hours on a regular basis has been shown to reduce hourly productivity due to greater fatigue, according to Anoop Satpathy, wage specialist at ILO India.
Should the Indian youth spend more time working? Internet divided over Narayana Murthy's 70-hr work week suggestion
In a recent interview with former Infosys CEO Mohandas Pai, Narayana Murthy, the co-founder of Infosys, has urged India's youth to commit to working 70 hours a week as a means to enhance the country's global competitiveness, but not everyone agrees with the stance. Narayana Murthy's remarks have ignited a lively debate on social media, with varying opinions.
Flexible hours, sick pay and meals, workers in the UK get a better deal
The global pandemic and Brexit have forced companies in the UK to improve employment terms to attract staff in a tight labor market. Big employers in sectors such as hospitality, retail, logistics, and security are offering more flexibility in working hours, better sick leave support, and other perks.
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