HR POLICIES
7 reasons why organisations & HR leaders should nominate for the ET HR Excellence Awards 2027
The ET HR Excellence Awards 2027 celebrate the transformative efforts of organizations and HR leaders making a significant impact in workplace culture. These prestigious awards shine a light on initiatives that enrich employee experiences and show real business results. Now is the time to submit nominations and share your stories of success in the dynamic world of HR.
What 60 Years of Data Reveals About How Men and Women Experience Leadership
In 1965, Harvard Business Review surveyed 2,000 male and female executives to track perceptions of women in leadership. Since then, researchers have replicated that study every twenty years to gauge shifting attitudes toward women in top posts. In this latest installment, which includes responses from 193 senior U.S. executives, supported by in‑depth interviews and several new questions, researchers have found some troubling backsliding: Men and women now diverge sharply on whether women are judged more harshly, held to higher standards, and advance through genuinely meritocratic systems. The findings point not to overt hostility but to “underground bias”: informal sponsorship, subjective performance criteria, and unequal access to P&L roles. The researchers argue that organizations possess the tools to fix these gaps but have not yet summoned the will.
Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos to the Coldplay Kiss Cam: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s extramarital affair not the first involving a top executive to shake the tech corporate world
Nvidia's CEO, Jensen Huang, has publicly acknowledged his extramarital affair involving a business executive tied to espionage activities for Beijing. This revelation has spurred an investigation by Nvidia's board, reflecting a broader issue in the tech sector where executives are often scrutinized for personal entanglements. Similar controversies at companies like McDonald's and Intel emphasize the critical need for corporate policies to address workplace relationships responsibly.
Group health insurance claims: 5 common claim deductions and disputes employees should know about
Most group plans cover pre-existing diseases from day one, and individual employees are not medically underwritten. Barring a few exceptions, disputes are rarely about whether a claim is admissible. They are mostly about deductions.
India Inc lights up Diwali with longer weekends, flexible work and extra pay for festive shifts
Companies across India are making Diwali more employee-friendly through extended holidays, work-from-home options, practical gifts and workplace celebrations. Zepto advanced its holiday, while Hitachi India offered employees a choice of gifts. NoBroker.com organised celebrations involving support staff, and Trev Mobility announced additional payouts for driver-partners working during the festival.
As HR takes on a larger business role, are organisations recognising the teams driving that change?
The Economic Times HR Excellence Awards 2027 spotlight the transformative nature of HR within organizations, underlining their crucial role in shaping business strategy, fostering talent development, and enhancing employee experiences. With six distinct award categories such as Talent Acquisition and Employee Experience, this initiative serves to honor HR teams that significantly boost organizational performance and drive workforce change.
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1st batch of Agniveers retiring soon: What's the retirement money, career options and benefits they will get
By 2026, approximately 18,300 Agniveers will finish their service in the armed forces, marking a pivotal transition. To ease their shift into civilian life, numerous states have initiated job quotas specifically for ex-Agniveers across different uniformed services and police departments. These initiatives stem from the Agnipath scheme launched in June 2022, which focuses on enlisting younger individuals in military roles.

What is the difference between buyout and layoff? Microsoft offers buyout to 60,000 employees; check what it means for workers
Microsoft buyout offer to 60,000 workers: Microsoft has introduced a Voluntary Exit Offer (VEO) for eligible employees in India, the US, Canada and the UK, with reports suggesting around 60,000 workers could qualify. The programme allows employees to leave voluntarily with financial support, unlike layoffs, where the company decides to cut jobs. The move comes as Microsoft ramps up AI investments while managing workforce costs.

NPS subscribers are less swayed by short-term market movements now, says Axis Pension Fund CEO Sumit Shukla
Axis Pension Fund intends to enhance its National Pension System offerings to provide better retirement savings options. The introduction of NPS Swasthya addresses the health insurance needs for older customers effectively. Despite tax benefits, low awareness continues to hinder corporate NPS uptake among employees. Further clarity on Tier-II NPS account taxation and extended tax deductions could encourage broader participation.

Company forces employee to travel halfway across the world to work from office, then fires him days later
An anonymous employee has claimed on Reddit that his company gave him 10 days to return from abroad and work from the office, despite his plans to travel home a month later. After spending heavily on a last-minute flight, he said he was fired shortly after arriving, with HR citing policy violations and older workplace issues. The company reportedly paid severance equivalent to 10 weeks' salary, sparking debate over return-to-office mandates and workplace fairness.

AI in customer service: How businesses are moving from queries to resolution
AI can answer customer queries, retrieve policies and automate routine service tasks. Its greater value emerges when these capabilities work together to resolve problems across the customer journey. For businesses, the challenge is building systems that connect speed with accuracy, accountability, and effective human support.

HR Team of the Year: Celebrating People strategies that drive business results
The ET HR Excellence Awards 2027 honors exemplary HR teams who significantly contribute to business growth through innovative talent management, robust employee engagement, and retention tactics. By acknowledging their tangible achievements, these awards provide organizations a stage to present their HR efforts and demonstrate their role in fostering improved workplace environments while achieving strategic objectives.

ET HR Excellence Awards 2027: Spotlighting the People Behind Business Performance
In today's dynamic environment, Human Resources Business Partners (HRBPs) are key players in synchronizing workforce initiatives with broader organizational aspirations, tackling talent challenges, and facilitating transformational change. The ET HR Excellence Awards 2027 celebrates exemplary HR practices that foster organizational brilliance, underscoring the vital contributions of strategic HR leadership to enhance workplace culture and people management strategies.

UAE VAT changes to increase costs and compliance burden for Indian businesses
While the rules apply to all businesses operating in the UAE, Indian companies account for about 20-25% of total businesses, with over 265,000 operating as of June 2025, making the changes particularly relevant for them. "Indian-owned businesses in construction, hospitality, manufacturing, logistics, and retail sectors could face a greater impact because of their substantial expenditure on employee accommodation, transport, connectivity and workforce-related services," international tax advocate Priyanshi Chokshi said.

“They don’t understand how business works,” Publicis Sapient global CPO on hiring fewer freshers
Kameshwari Rao says graduates need business knowledge to assess AI-generated work, as clients push for fewer people and more outcome-based billing.

Low-cost jobs will be taken over by AI, most worried about outsourced ones: Workday CEO
Workday Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Aneel Bhusri told reporters at the Workday Rising Summit that AI will not lead to jobs moving out of the US or first-world countries, but may do the opposite.

Eyes now on Viksit, net zero later: Can India achieve high-income status by 2047 without compromising on climate promises?
India aims to achieve a high-income economy status by 2047, requiring substantial economic growth and investment. However, ambitious climate goals may impose significant financial burdens that could jeopardize this progress. Investment requirements for achieving carbon neutrality by 2070 could cost India approximately $8.1 trillion, equivalent to a large percentage of GDP. Reports suggest that climate policies might divert funds from essential services like education and healthcare.

SHRM offered senior specialist role in June 2024, revoked it a month later over employee’s request to bring medical service dog to work; court orders HR giant to pay $400,000
A jury ruled that the Society for Human Resource Management, or SHRM, failed to accommodate a job applicant. Plaintiff Fiona Torres claimed SHRM revoked her job offer due to her need for a medical service dog. The jury awarded Torres $400,000 in compensatory damages for violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act. SHRM plans to appeal the verdict while asserting their offered alternatives for Torres were adequate.

Devil's in the diesel, get E-truckin'
To wean India off its crude oil addiction or make any structural dent to air pollution, electrifying our freight fleets are a no-brainer. Niti Aayog says road freights alone accounts for more than a quarter of India’s oil-import expenditure. But E-cars or green city buses alone won’t charge the collective imagination for a once-in-a-lifetime EV push: We need to green our highways. But first distortions in the duties need to be fixed.

Office critical illness cover: How well does it protect employees and their families?
The distinction matters for how HR teams design the benefit. A fixed benefit CI policy addresses income replacement and non medical costs that a health insurance policy does not cover, e.g. months of lost salary and family support during recovery. An indemnity CI policy addresses treatment cost coverage for critical conditions specifically.

HR wanted him on a PIP when his dad was dying, manager intervened and saved his job; now, after discovering the new hire he trains earns $14,000 more, he faces a dilemma with a better-paying job offer in hand
A hardworking employee in logistics uncovers that a newly recruited colleague is earning $14,000 more than him. After training this new hire, he feels his own efforts go unrecognized. His manager has provided unwavering support during personal struggles, making the choice to leave even more complex. Although he has received a lucrative offer elsewhere, Reddit users encourage him to seek career growth while respecting his current superior.

A roadmap for building future-ready workplaces
As workplaces continue to transform, organizations face the challenge of prioritizing continuous workforce development and skill refinement. Effective strategies like internal mobility, mentorship programs, and varied growth avenues are crucial for fostering advancement. It's imperative to weave inclusion into every facet of the employee experience to cater to diverse requirements.

Nvidia employee policy: Extra offs, lucrative monetary incentive, Jensen Huang's 'direct' approach, inside details of world's most valuable company's work-life balance
Nvidia is heading for the magical USD 6 trillion market cap and here are details of how the AI chip maker maintains professional relationship with its employees.

Transforming HR from a support function to a business driver: Why the ET HR Excellence Awards 2027 matter
Explore the staggering $10 trillion issue surrounding employee engagement, as businesses strive for effective HR solutions. The 2027 ET HR Excellence Awards honor innovators who transcend conventional methods to foster enriching workplace environments, boost productivity, and retain talent effectively. This is your chance to put forward initiatives that have significantly impacted workplace dynamics and contributed to business growth.

Celebrate National Teetotalitarian Day!
National Teetotalitarian Day serves as a dedicated 24-hour opportunity for individuals to embrace sobriety, emphasizing the importance of responsible choices and financial prudence. By choosing to forgo alcohol, participants can steer clear of avoidable errors and complications, thereby enhancing both personal and collective financial well-being. Following this day, National No-Hangover Day will commemorate wise decision-making, allowing everyone to reap the rewards of clarity and keen judgment.

Employers face compliance hurdles as states delay notification of Labour Code rules
Ten states and union territories have formally adopted some Labour Codes, creating compliance challenges for companies. Major industrial states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have delayed notifying rules, causing confusion for employers. Inconsistencies between central and state rules complicate adherence to labour laws.

Woman accepted Rs 27,000 job offer, found another employee earning Rs 33,000 for same role. She confronted HR and got fired: ‘Why is she getting more?’
A social media post by Ankit Pandey sparked debate after he claimed an employee was fired for confronting HR after discovering a colleague earned Rs 33,000 for the same role, compared with her Rs 27,000 salary. Pandey attributed the difference to negotiation and hiring factors, while netizens debated whether employees should accept pay gaps, question unequal compensation or handle salary concerns more strategically.

Kerala HC says exorbitant drug prices can trigger government intervention in patented medicines
The Kerala High Court ruled that government intervention is permissible for prohibitively priced patented medicines. The court directed the Centre to gather data on the affordability of specific life-saving drugs. This ruling addresses access issues for two breast cancer medications, abemaciclib and ribociclib. The decision empowers the government to consider invoking Section 100 of the Patents Act for affordable access.

US stocks: US market ends down as oil prices, Treasury yields rise
In a turbulent day for Wall Street, the markets faced declines primarily driven by disappointing performances from Alphabet and Amazon, compounded by increasing Treasury yields. Meanwhile, a spike in oil prices ensued following Iran's President's remarks at the UN, impacting overall market sentiment. Despite this, US business activity surged to remarkable levels, raising speculation about possible interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve.
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