HR News: 20 Nov, 2017

1.

Alibaba founder Jack Ma gives business and hiring tips to young entrepreneurs

The firm that utilizes the internet in the best possible way will win in the future years, he said.
Alibaba founder Jack Ma was in an event called Gateway 17 in Detroit, where he talked to young entrepreneurs about Alibaba’s beginning, his hiring mantras, gender equality and struggles of an entrepreneur.
‘Hire, if he can be your boss in five years’ is what seems to be his hiring mantra. Sharing a tip he normally shares with his colleagues, he advised businessmen to hire staff who are smarter than they are.
Talking about gender equality, he said women are going to very powerful in the 21st century. He advised businesses to hire as many women as possible, adding that women are Alibaba’s ‘secret sauce’. Women care about other people much more than men, he said, and over the years, Alibaba has hired more women to maintain gender balance in the workforce. 

2.

Indian employees with IW status will reacquire prior status on repatriation: EPFO

IWs faced a lot of problems when returning to India, in terms of higher contributions and restrictions on the withdrawal of accumulated balance.

The EPFO (Employee Provident Fund Organisation) has now clarified that an Indian employee qualifying as an international worker (IW) for working/having worked in a country with which India has an SSA, will reacquire the status of an Indian employee upon repatriation to India after completion of overseas duty. Accordingly, such employees will not be subject to the special provisions applicable to IW after repatriating to India.

This announcement comes in the wake of some confusion regarding social security programmes for employees deputed to work outside India.

3.

McDonald's shuts down 43 outlets in Delhi; fate of 1700 employees at stake

The outlets were shut down with effect from June 29.

One of India’s oldest and most favourite fast food chains, McDonald's has shut down 43 of its outlets in the capital, following a dispute between CPRL (Connaught Plaza Restaurants) and US-headquartered McDonald. The outlets that were shut down with effect from June 29, could have an impact on about 1,700 employees.
CPRL which operates 168 restaurants in all, had apparently been in a rough patch with US-headquartered McDonald, and the decision to shut down these outlets was reportedly taken on a skype meeting recently. Vikram Bakshi, the former managing director of CPRL who is also on the board of CPRL mentioned that although it’s unfortunate, operation of 43 restaurants operated by CPRL has been temporarily suspended.
An official statement released by McDonald's India mentioned that the services by McDonald's are suspended for the operations of specific restaurants. The statement also highlighted that the temporary suspension is due to the expiration of the Eating House Licenses of specific restaurants, and that the Board of the CPRL is currently working to obtain the licenses needed to comply with McDonald's regulatory standards.