Business World People Magazine - January - February 2023

In this issue

Google’s parent company Alphabet’s plans to lay off
12,000 employees send shivers down one’s spine.
Even as one hopes that year 2023 will see a departure
from the uncertainties of the Covid and lockdown
years, it’s painful to think of the agony of thousands
of employees, not just in Google but those laid off by other giant
organisations in the last few months. Many of the Indian compatriots,
who had moved to foreign shores to take up these jobs, are now
left in the lurch. This could also have a spiralling effect in other
sectors, and the overall job market.
In the midst of this, Paul Dupuis, Chairman and CEO of Randstad
Japan, gives credit to companies that are going against the
flow. In an interview to BW People, he says, “There are some companies
that are not restricting or downsizing. Credit to those companies
that are thinking two and three steps ahead. I would call
that preparing for the day after tomorrow.”
He also adds a note of optimism to the present mood when he
says, “It’s about ebbs and flows. One thing we’ve learned over generations
is that while layoffs may happen, but there will always be
hiring that follows.”
We also have views of HR honchos of corporates, including
from Hewlett Packard, Capgemini, Deloitte and Fujitsu, on the
way organisational work culture will shape up in 2023.
One area that is creating a positive impact on functioning of
organisations is HR Tech. And we have views of doyens of HR,
Dave Ulrich and Wayne Brockbank, both from the University of
Michigan, and several other HR honchos on how best to use technological
tools, and how also to select tools that are best suited to
your organisation.