Author: Asher J

A social media post by social entrepreneur Kiran Verma has drawn attention to the challenges experienced professionals can face after losing their jobs, highlighting how layoffs and age-related barriers may lead some workers to join the gig economy. In a post shared on LinkedIn, Verma recounted meeting a 56-year-old delivery partner named Manoj during a delivery booking in Noida. According to the post, Manoj had worked in corporate administration for 14 years at Tata AIA Life Insurance before losing his job during a round of layoffs in 2023. Verma wrote that despite years of professional experience, Manoj has struggled to…

Ford Motor Company has rehired more than 300 experienced engineers after finding that its artificial intelligence (AI)-based quality control systems were unable to identify certain design and manufacturing issues without human expertise. The automaker had expanded the use of AI to detect defects during vehicle design and production. However, the company found that some critical quality concerns were overlooked by automated systems and required the judgment of experienced engineers. According to Charles Poon, Vice President of Vehicle Hardware Engineering at Ford, the company initially expected AI to deliver high-quality outcomes by relying primarily on existing engineering requirements. He said Ford…

Tesla has reportedly introduced a weekly spending limit on artificial intelligence (AI) tools for employees as part of efforts to manage rising AI-related costs. According to reports, the new policy will take effect on 6 July and limit employee spending on AI tools to $200 per week. Any expenditure beyond this amount will require approval from management. The reported change follows instances in which some software engineers generated AI usage costs amounting to several thousand dollars per week through high levels of token consumption. xAI Tools Reportedly Exempt According to internal communications cited in media reports, the spending cap will…

Microsoft is reportedly preparing another round of job cuts, with the announcement expected next week, according to media reports. The planned layoffs are expected to affect less than 2.5% of the company’s global workforce. Based on Microsoft’s filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the company had approximately 228,000 full-time employees as of June 30, 2025. If the reported plan proceeds, thousands of employees across multiple business units could be impacted. According to reports, the layoffs are expected to affect employees in the sales, consulting, and Xbox gaming divisions. The move comes as many technology companies continue to…

The notification for the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) Scheme, 2026 retains the existing statutory wage ceiling of ₹15,000 per month for mandatory EPF contributions, keeping the limit unchanged despite higher salary levels across many sectors. Under the scheme, employers and employees are required to make EPF contributions on monthly wages up to ₹15,000. Contributions on wages above this limit continue to be voluntary, subject to mutual agreement. The unchanged ceiling is lower than the minimum basic pay of regular Central government employees. Since the implementation of the 7th Central Pay Commission (7th CPC) in 2016, the lowest basic salary for…

Starbucks has announced a new partnership with TikTok to expand its employee advocacy efforts, introducing a programme that will allow selected employees to create brand-related social media content while earning compensation through the platform. The coffee chain has become the first company to pilot a customised Creator Network within TikTok’s Content Suite. The initiative builds on Starbucks’ Green Apron Creators programme, introduced in 2024 to encourage employees to share authentic experiences and workplace stories across social media platforms. As part of the pilot, Starbucks will be able to provide participating employees with content briefs directly through TikTok’s platform. Eligible creators…

A social media post by a Tesla employee describing a seven-day work schedule has sparked widespread online discussion about long working hours, employee wellbeing and work-life balance in the technology sector. The post, shared on Instagram, outlined what the employee described as a typical workweek, with daily working hours spread across all seven days. According to the schedule, the employee worked approximately 54 hours during the week, including weekend shifts, prompting mixed reactions from social media users. The video quickly attracted significant attention, with viewers offering differing perspectives on the work routine. Some users viewed the schedule as a reflection…

The Union Finance Ministry is reportedly working on a broad set of human resource reforms for India’s public sector banks, aiming to modernise employee management practices and improve transparency across the sector. The proposed changes, led by the Department of Financial Services (DFS), are expected to affect more than 7.5 lakh employees working in the country’s 12 public sector banks. One of the key proposals under consideration is the adoption of technology-driven systems to manage employee transfers. The initiative seeks to replace manual processes with digital platforms that can conduct annual transfer exercises using predefined criteria such as seniority, eligibility…

India witnessed nearly 3.5 lakh artificial intelligence (AI)-related job openings over the past 90 days, highlighting the rapid expansion of AI hiring across industries, according to a report released by Quess Corp. The report estimates that India is home to approximately 9.2 lakh AI professionals, making it one of the world’s largest AI talent pools. Despite this, employers continue to face challenges in recruiting skilled professionals for specialised AI roles, as demand significantly exceeds the available talent. According to the findings, only around 2.57 lakh professionals currently work in advanced AI disciplines, including large language models (LLMs), machine learning, natural…

A renewed debate over employee stock ownership in India’s startup ecosystem has emerged after entrepreneur Chinmay Singh raised concerns about the country’s taxation framework for employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs). In a post on the social media platform X, Singh argued that the current tax treatment of ESOPs makes it challenging for startups to provide meaningful equity ownership opportunities to employees, particularly those working outside major technology hubs. Sharing his experience of building a US-based startup, Singh said his company recruited engineers from smaller towns and villages across states including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Assam. He said the focus was…