BUSINESS
IT, tech firms gearing up for hyperlocal workplaces
Whether you prefer working from a nearby office or a few days from home and a few days from office, IT firms are making it all possible. That’s what the future of work is going to look like, say many CEOs.
BUSINESS
Mercy Mission volunteers a lifeline to Bengaluru, India’s most COVID-hit city
Volunteers are working overtime, from 4:30 a.m., to respond to distress calls and lend support in arranging ambulances, oxygen, ICU beds and help in cremating the dead in Bengaluru, the IT hub that has over a million COVID-19 cases.
BUSINESS
Clubhouse to launch Android version in India on May 21 as downloads plummet
The audio chat app hopes to increase downloads with Android users, but it faces fierce competition from giants such as Twitter, which has launched such a platform as well as Facebook and Microsoft, which have similar plans.
BUSINESS
Explainer | What does the delay in H-1B wage hikes till Nov 2022 mean for Indian techies?
This is indeed a huge relief. Indians are the largest beneficiaries of the visa. In FY19, of the 1.8 lakh H-1B visa issues, Indians accounted for about 1.3 lakh.
BUSINESS
Do you have the same login for Flipkart and BigBasket? Here is why you should be worried
Many Flipkart users have complained of their account being hacked recently. Security researchers explained that this breach could be traced back to Bigbasket breach, where data of millions of users were made public on the dark web.
BUSINESS
Companies seek government clarity on vaccination and more doses; say it is important for restoring normalcy
HCL Tech needs 6 lakh doses, both for employees and the vendors it is looking to vaccinate in the country, but have got a commitment for a few thousand doses in NCR and Chennai, making the supply and demand gap rather substantial.
BUSINESS
Second wave slows down hiring for IT and tech firms
There is no slack in demand or cancellations. One executive summed it up best: “The situation is the opposite of what happened last year. People were healthy but companies were cautious about cost. So, there was a freeze on hiring. Now, demand is high, but people and families are affected.”
BUSINESS
Demand robust, but second wave a concern: LTTS CEO Amit Chadha
In the longer term, Chadha says, there will be a workforce working from office and another from home. He says the company is getting ready for a future where there may be cities where they don’t have an office, but a workforce. It may not be huge, but that's a developing model.
BUSINESS
You now have to enter a Captcha while booking your vaccination
The move aims to prevent techies from cornering vaccine slots, but has made the booking process cumbersome
BUSINESS
API scripts, messaging groups, coding: India's vaccination program is now a techathon
Finding that it’s very difficult to book the limited vaccinations slots, techies in Bengaluru are running own scripts to find their way in. It is not clear whether it is a grey area or outright illegal. The CoWin chief insists that there are enough checks and balances to ensure that people don’t run scripts.
BUSINESS
iSPIRT likely to focus on bridging the technical gap in the BBMP bed allocation software
The development comes in the light of widespread corruption in the BBMP’s bed allocation system, alleged by the Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya. The BJP MP has reached out to Infosys chariman Nandan Nilekani to revamp the system. Think tank iSPIRT has also been roped in.
BUSINESS
Going slow on moving work offshore: L&T Infotech CEO Sanjay Jalona
L&T Infotech CEO Sanjay Jalona spoke to Moneycontrol about the challenges for the business from COVID-19 Second Wave and the company's plans to tackle them.
BUSINESS
COVID-19: Indian health tech startups step in to take load off healthcare system
As the pandemic changes the narrative for telemedicine in the country, companies like MFine and iCliniq are seeing a huge demand. Bengaluru-based MFine, for example, which has over 4,000 doctors on its platform, does 12,000 consultations per day. Remote health-monitoring platforms like Dozee, too, are gaining traction.
BUSINESS
COVID-19 second wave | IT firms might look at shifting work onsite, delay in project commencement
Most companies feel that the impact will be short-term. However, analysts say if the pandemic persists and human resources capacity in India is affected by over 30 per cent, companies may shift some work onshore.
BUSINESS
TCS sets up COVID-19 care centres in 11 cities for employees, their families
As IT firms like Infosys, HCL Tech and Tech Mahindra also step up the care, the government has also allowed the IT/ITeS in SEZ units to increase the beds from 10 to 50.
BUSINESS
From vaccination to COVID-care centres, IT firms step up employee support amidst deadly second wave
As people struggle to find ICU beds and oxygen supply, Infosys, HCL Tech and Tech Mahindra are setting up COVID-19 care centres for employees, where they and their families can get medical care beyond home quarantine; companies pledge vaccination drive
BUSINESS
Tech Mahindra headcount declines by 4,000 in FY21, to accelerate pace of hiring in FY22
“We are not giving any firm guidance but we are looking at double-digit organic growth. To sustain the double-digit organic growth you also need to have a right level of hiring," said CP Gurnani, CEO & MD.
BUSINESS
COVID Warriors | As SOS calls mount, volunteers step in to save lives
Hemkunt Foundation best exemplifies the spirit of volunteerism in the Sikh community; as the scourge ravages India, healthcare activists give it all, rise to the occasion
BUSINESS
HCL tech to invest 1% of revenue to expand to other geographies, build capacity in new-gen services: CEO C Vijayakumar
The company, which reported $10.2 billion revenues in FY21, expects double-digit growth in FY22 but has refrained from providing any specific details on how it will achieve that growth. Instead, says CEO Vijayakumar, the focus is on bookings and execution.
BUSINESS
HCL Tech to expand its vaccination drive for all its staff and vendors across India
Its Bengaluru-based peers Infosys, and Wipro are also scaling up their vaccination drive to cover all employees and their families. They will also bear the cost of vaccination.
BUSINESS
HCL Tech in aggressive hiring mode, to take 20,000 freshers in FY22
HCL Tech hired a total of 44,695 employees in FY21, mix of freshers and laterals. Total employee count at the end of the year stood at 168,977, with net addition of 18,554 people last fiscal.
BUSINESS
Zoho has helped restore talent in villages: Sridhar Vembu
Zoho Schools of Learning, a program that trains and hires students who have completed Class 12th or a diploma course, has helped enhance social skills and has given them the confidence to find a job outside of Zoho.
BUSINESS
Wipro to organise vaccination camps for employees in Bengaluru, other parts of India
Wipro employs about 1.9 lakh people. The company also plans to facilitate complimentary pre- and post-vaccination support as well as vaccination reimbursement for its employees and their spouses.
BUSINESS
COVID-19 spike | IT majors get ready to vaccinate staff; Infosys partners with 130 hospitals in India, in talks with suppliers
Infosys has also established vaccination centres for its employees and their families at some of the campuses across India, and is in the process of extending them.
