Author: Asher J

Saudi authorities have intensified enforcement of residency and labour regulations, arresting more than 21,000 people in a single week as part of a nationwide inspection drive. The campaign, carried out across multiple regions, targeted construction sites, residential areas and transportation hubs to identify violations related to work permits and sponsorship rules. Officials stated that the crackdown focused on individuals found working without valid residency permits or outside the terms of their sponsorship. Authorities also warned that companies and individuals who provide shelter, employment or assistance to undocumented workers could face penalties under existing regulations. The development has drawn attention from…

Thales, a multinational operating across defence, aerospace, and digital security technologies, has announced plans to expand its global workforce by 9,000 employees in 2026. Of these new positions, approximately 450 roles will be based in India, reflecting the country’s growing importance within the company’s engineering and innovation network. The planned recruitment aligns with Thales’ recent hiring trajectory. Over the past several years, the company has consistently added at least 8,000 employees annually to support expansion across its three primary business segments. This sustained hiring underscores continued demand for advanced technological capabilities in areas such as aerospace systems, cybersecurity, and digital…

Target has announced plans to eliminate about 500 positions across its regional offices and distribution facilities in the United States, part of a broader restructuring aimed at strengthening store operations and improving customer experience. Company executives said the move would allow resources to be redirected toward frontline staffing, additional labour hours, and service enhancements within stores. Details of the decision were shared with employees through an internal communication that also outlined changes to store-district organisation. The restructuring is intended to ensure staffing and operational support are concentrated in locations where customer demand is highest, reflecting a strategic shift toward in-store…

Wipro is preparing to reinstate employee salary increments beginning 1 March 2026, ending a delay that has lasted for more than a year. The company last implemented pay revisions in September 2024 before placing further increases on hold amid a difficult business environment for the global technology sector. The decision to restart increments was communicated internally, though the organisation has not disclosed details regarding the scale of the salary hikes. The move signals a cautious adjustment in compensation strategy as information technology firms continue to contend with subdued global demand, geopolitical uncertainty, and restrained client spending on digital transformation and…

Recent global workforce reductions at Amazon have drawn renewed attention to the company’s operations in India, where media reports indicate that at least 500 employees may have been affected, with the number potentially rising to around 700. The reductions are said to be concentrated in technology and human resources functions, with software development engineers among those most impacted. Amazon has not issued a detailed public statement specific to India. However, reports reference an internal communication attributed to Beth Galetti, senior vice president for people experience and technology, outlining the rationale behind the broader restructuring. The message reportedly described efforts to…

OpenAI is undergoing a significant strategic realignment as competition in the artificial intelligence sector accelerates. The company—reported to be valued at around $500 billion—is shifting resources away from long-term experimental research toward the development and enhancement of the large language models that power its flagship product, ChatGPT, according to media reports citing the Financial Times. The change in priorities has coincided with a series of senior-level departures. Reported exits include a vice-president of research, a model policy researcher and an economist, among others. Current and former employees cited in reports indicated that the redistribution of funding and attention toward product-focused…

Cognizant Technology Solutions is reportedly preparing to hire between 24,000 and 25,000 fresh graduates in 2026, representing an increase of about 20 percent compared with the roughly 20,000 campus recruits brought on board in 2025. The planned expansion signals a continued focus on entry-level talent as the company integrates artificial intelligence more deeply into its delivery and workforce strategy. Of the graduates hired last year, approximately 16,000 have already been deployed to client projects, while nearly 4,000 remain in various stages of training. The figures indicate an ongoing reliance on campus hiring to build future-ready capabilities and sustain long-term growth.…

On 1 February 2026, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget for 2026–27, describing it as a “Yuva Shakti” budget with a strong focus on employment, skilling and workforce development. The government allocated ₹32,666 crore to the Labour Ministry, ₹9,886 crore for skill development—marking a 62 percent increase—and ₹20,083 crore toward employment-related programmes. While the headline allocations are significant, the immediate impact on salaries, hiring and workplace practices appears limited. Many of the proposed initiatives are long-term structural measures that may take several years to influence labour markets, talent availability and wage growth. Limited Direct Relief on Employee Compensation…

Deloitte plans to roll out new job titles for its more than 181,000 employees in the United States starting 1 June. The changes will also introduce a new senior role, “leader,” alongside existing positions such as partners, principals, and managing directors. According to media reports, the updated titles will be applied across all departments and reflected in both internal and external documents and processes. Some employees may have already been informed of their new titles ahead of the official rollout. The company is modernising its organisational structure to move away from conventional work titles traditionally associated with consulting roles. The…

The Madras High Court has ruled that denying maternity leave to women government employees for a third pregnancy is legally unsustainable. The decision was delivered by a Division Bench of Justices R Suresh Kumar and Shamim Ahmed while hearing a petition filed by a woman whose maternity leave request was rejected in December 2025. The government had rejected the request based on a clarification that Tamil Nadu Fundamental Rules did not provide maternity leave for a third child. The petitioner argued that previous High Court rulings had allowed maternity leave for third pregnancies, and that the government’s denial ignored established…