Here are ten human-forward skills that will quietly but decisively shape professional growth in 2026.
Average employee salaries in India are set to increase by 9 per cent in 2026, with a renewed focus on short-term incentives and skills-based systems, a report said on Wednesday. According to Mercer's Total Remuneration Survey 2026, organisations in India are shifting toward broader, more holistic value propositions and the top factors influencing salary increases include individual performance, inflation and the organisation's competitiveness in the job market, among others.
'Raising the retrenchment, layoff and closure threshold to 300 workers for prior government permission enables hire-and-fire in more than 90 per cent of the Indian workplaces. More than 12,00,000 disputes are now pending for adjudication with an average disposal period ranging from 3 to five years for more than 75 per cent of the disputes.'
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discusses India's foreign policy challenges in a multipolar world, emphasizing the need for nimbleness and prioritizing national interests.
'There are new job roles that are emerging because of AI.'
The 9-to-5 structure feels outdated to the Gen Z generation.
Astrologer Chirag Daruwalla, who is following in the footsteps of his famed astrologer father, the late Bejan Daruwalla, helps you navigate the Naya Saal.
The new complex housing the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) will be called 'Seva Teerth', officials said. The renaming reflects a shift towards service-oriented governance and a focus on duty and transparency.
'Just like oral hygiene, cyber hygiene must become a daily habit,' says Beena Vaheed, executive director, Bank of Baroda. 'It is not enough to rely only on banks, companies, or the government. Each of us must play our part.'
Ananta Charan Behera went to his former workplace, the Odisha assembly, on Thursday to have a glimpse of President Droupadi Murmu, but was utterly surprised when she spotted him in the crowd and called him by his name.
'It will increase the contribution to gratuity, which is something the employer has to give.'
rediffGURU Shalini Singh, founder of andwemet, a matchmaking platform, explains how to convince your parents about marrying someone they may not approve of.
AI didn't replace our skills in 2025; it rearranged their importance, says Vishal Sood, CEO and founder of Placecom.
Pilots' body the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has alleged that IndiGo, despite getting a two-year preparatory window before the full implementation of new flight duty and rest period norms for cockpit crew, "inexplicably" adopted a "hiring freeze."
'Don't look at Russia only as a place to earn quickly and then leave.' 'Try to build experience in serious companies, skills and certifications that will serve you anywhere in the world.'
When Chennai-based Wedding Designer Ambika Gupta first received a brief for a destination wedding in Udaipur, she had no idea it would turn into one of the most high-profile celebrations of the season.
Fostering kindness doesn't require grand gestures; even the smallest acts can create a ripple effect, cultivating a more harmonious and effective work culture.
Delhi government mandates 50% work from home for offices and private establishments under GRAP stage three due to severe air pollution. Essential services are exempted.
Global tech giants surprisingly prefer skills over IIT and IIM tags which no longer guarantee entry into the world's most innovative workplaces.
A case has been registered against the founder of Ola Electric and other senior officials following the suicide of an engineer who accused them of harassment and non-payment of dues.
A flight ticket reveals that Dr. Adil Ahmad, arrested in Saharanpur, traveled from Srinagar to Delhi days before the Red Fort blast, raising questions about his possible involvement.
Even by conservative assumptions that 5 to 10 per cent of infected individuals develop long Covid, India today may be home to 50 to 100 million infected individuals -- many silently coping with breathlessness, fatigue, palpitations, brain fog, or unexplained clotting tendencies.
Across all sectors, the future of work depends on adaptability.
How familiar are you with Vibe Coding? Aura Farming? Broligarchy?
The Girlfriend is not your typical love story and may not be streaming in as many theatres as you'd like to, but it is definitely worth lauding for showing us the mirror about how we normalise toxic behaviours instead of taking a preachy tone, notes Divya Nair.
'I try to convince myself to stay calm, do my work and not let his behaviour get to me. Some days it works; most days, it doesn't.'
Initially, the lure of a big paycheck may feel rewarding. But, over time, professionals find themselves drifting away from family, friends and personal joys, observes Pradeep Pramanik.
'In the real world, it's not about being the smartest person in the room -- it's about being the one who stays grounded, adaptable and emotionally steady when everything else shakes,' says Ankita Kaul, a National Board certified health and wellness coach from the Dr Sears Wellness Institute.
The country's biggest lender, State Bank of India (SBI), plans to hire around 3,500 officers to bolster its operations and enhance service delivery nationwide.
'Filing a workplace harassment case against a well-known company or professional can bring risks like retaliation, harm to your career and emotional stress,' warns Smita Shetty Kapoor.
A West Bengal native was arrested in Kottayam, Kerala for allegedly murdering his wife and burying her body near an under-construction house. The accused, Soni SK, confessed to the crime, citing suspicion of an extramarital affair.
An ex-employee claimed that team members were routinely subjected to verbal abuse, even for basic clarifications or suggesting improvements.
Workplaces of 2025 will be defined by a deep focus on people-first values, inclusivity, and sustainable growth, foresees Sonica Aron, founder of Marching Sheep.
'In diabetes remission, you go below a 6.5 HbA1c without medication.' 'And this happens only when you lose 10 to 15 per cent of your body weight with a good amount of lifestyle and dietary changes, exercise and sometimes medication.' 'You have to be able to sustain your HBA1C below 6.5 for at least a year without medication to say that the patient is in remission.'
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's anti-tobacco crusade has a new target: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Politico reported.
'Other sectors that manage the savings pools of Indians are giving tough competition to life insurance companies.'
The Supreme Court has sought the assistance of the solicitor general of India in a plea that seeks job security for members of internal complaint committees (ICC) for sexual harassment at workplaces. The court recognized the importance of the plea and expressed concern over the lack of response from the Central government, despite issuing notice. The petitioners, Janaki Chaudhry and Olga Tellis, argue that ICC members in the private sector face a serious conflict of interest as they can be terminated without reason if a decision goes against the senior management. The petition highlights the vulnerability of ICC members to retaliation and the lack of protection they have compared to their counterparts in the public sector.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) employee headcount fell by a massive nearly 20,000 in a single quarter, as India's largest IT services company continues to restructure workforce to align with changed business dynamics. According to Q2 FY26 data on its website, the company's headcount has dropped to 5,93,314 in September quarter as compared to 6,13,069 in June quarter, even as IT workers' union NITES accused TCS of downplaying large scale layoffs through under-reporting.
Nvidia's Jensen Huang questions the dominance of degrees in the AI economy.
'Stop fearing 'No' and build your empire. 'By embracing rejection, you gain clarity, data and a stronger team, paving the way for inevitable growth,' Mamaearth Co-Founder Ghazal Alagh tells aspiring entrepreneurs.
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