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TotalEnergies Forays into Online-to-Offline Segment in India with VehicleCare and Automovill

Mumbai, March 30, 2023 – TotalEnergies Marketing India Private Limited (TEMIPL) has inked partnership agreements with two Online to Offline (O2O) automobile service aggregators in India to enhance customer touchpoints across multiple channels. The service aggregators are VehicleCare and Automovill based in Gurugram and Bengaluru respectively.

With 59%* internet penetration in urban India, Indian consumers are increasingly looking for transparent, convenient, high-quality services at their doorstep. VehicleCare and Automovill both provide one-stop automobile services to vehicle owners – through just a few clicks on their mobile and desktop applications.

At TotalEnergies, customer centricity is a core focus of its efforts to enhance customer experience. The strategic partnerships between TEMIPL and the two O2O aggregators will allow TotalEnergies’ automotive lubricants to reach customers at over 750 car servicing workshops across the country by the end of 2023.

Commenting on the partnerships, Olivier Sabrié, Chairman & Managing Director, TEMIPL, said, “TotalEnergies has been at the forefront of driving digital innovation to offer greater value to our customers. Collaborating with Automovill and VehicleCare is in line with our focus to deliver quality lubricants through our partner workshops, directly to consumers. The O2O channel will provide more drive-ins to our partner workshops and convenient service to our customers.”

Mridu Mahendra Das, CEO of Automovill, said, “Automovill is excited for aligning itself with TotalEnergies O2O vision. Team Automovill is aggressively working on democratizing the aftersales service ecosystem in India through aggregating as well as onboarding workshops in its network. Partnering with TotalEnergies will give us the right traction to deliver quality to our customers.”

Arvind Verma, CEO of VehicleCare, added, “VehicleCare is thrilled to collaborate with TotalEnergies, and we believe that our shared vision of customer centricity will empower us even more in serving our customers better. With this new alliance, we look forward to providing our customers with a unique digital experience along with quality products to enhance their vehicle life cycle in the most efficient and tech-enabled way.”

TEMIPL has a growing portfolio of services and products across India including lubricants for automotive and industrial applications, LPG for domestic and commercial applications, and specialty applications products. Latest new service offerings include car care products and Wash services.

HCLTech Launches New Offerings for Organizations with Frontline Workers

NEW YORK and NOIDA, India, March 30, 2023 — HCLTech, a leading global technology company, announced an expanded collaboration with Microsoft and Zebra Technologies to bring modern and connected workplace solutions to frontline worker populations across different industries. Trends in remote and hybrid work have mostly benefited information workers, while many frontline workers continue to use manual and paper-based processes. HCLTech, Microsoft, and Zebra aim to improve processes to enable frontline workers to provide robust customer support.

“Frontline workers, who rely on manual and paper-based processes to get work done today, will now have access to cloud-powered workplace solutions and services,” said Marianne Roling, Vice President, Global System Integrators, Microsoft. “We’re excited that as a result of our collaboration with HCLTech and Zebra, frontline workers will be able to take advantage of innovative and secure Microsoft 365 for Frontline Worker solutions that enable them to be more engaged, efficient and productive.” “Together, HCLTech, Microsoft, and Zebra are modernizing the worker experience to ensure every frontline worker is connected and optimally utilized. Our partnership will ensure continuous innovation to jointly deliver mobile, integrated, and secure solutions to enhance the frontline worker experience and achieve targeted outcomes around productivity, retention, engagement, and customer service by enabling workers to be their very best in any environment,” said Drew Ehlers, Head of Global Partners, Zebra Technologies.

HCLTech’s CloudSMART services harness the vast portfolio spanning every aspect of our global business to build end-to-end solutions across towers and technologies providing reassurance in supporting frontline employees across collaborative and productivity software, network security, backend systems, and third-party applications. As a result, Microsoft and Zebra’s vital resources ranging from rugged, purpose-built devices to support services, will continue to be amplified with global implementation and  integration from HCLTech. As workplace technology continuously evolves, providing frontline workers with the latest advancements remains a critical pillar in developing holistic solutions and is a key strategic priority for HCLTech, Microsoft and Zebra.

“Frontline workers are critical to the success of every organization, and it is imperative to empower them with the right tools and solutions. HCLTech, Microsoft, and Zebra have partnered to develop a comprehensive offering that helps enhance productivity and efficiency of the frontline workforce and enhance collaboration with the wider organization,” said Rakshit Ghura, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Digital Workplace Services, HCLTech.

The vision of collaboration is centered on productivity platform development with customers that will help identify use cases through the various frontline workers’ experiences across public and customer- facing operations. HCLTech’s complete set of managed services, including logistics, support, proactive maintenance, field services, consulting, training, and adoption services, will allow workers to excel and elevate their workplace.

Almost 80% of early-stage startups are looking to increase their workforce in 2023: FICCI–Randstad Startup Hiring Trends Survey

NEW DELHI, 29 March 2023: The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in partnership with Randstad India, one of the leading organizations in the HR services industry, has launched their exclusive survey on startup hiring trends. Over 300 startups participated in the survey.

Despite the current trend of layoffs among larger corporations, the survey highlights that a significant proportion (80%) of early-stage startups, those with a current workforce of fewer than 20 employees, are actively seeking to expand their workforce in 2023. Notably, these startups have secured Series A and Series B funding, are well-capitalized, and are actively seeking to hire new talent. 92% of these startups stated that their hiring decisions will primarily be driven by new project orders, additional funding raised from investors and expansion strategies.

While startups are planning to expand their workforce, a substantial portion, 31.92% anticipate an increase in hiring by over 30%. 28.08% of companies plan to expand their teams in the 11-20% range. Sectors like Agri/Agritech, AI/ML/Deeptech, Automotive, and E-commerce/delivery services are expected to increase hiring in the 11-20% range, while Aerospace & Defense, Energy, and Healthcare startups are expected to increase their hiring activities by over 30%. Overall, sectors depicting the highest intent to hire include healthcare (13%), IT/ITes (10%), agri/agritech (8%), AI/ML/DeepTech (7%), Fintech (7%) and Manufacturing (7%).

The study also states that hiring will primarily occur at the junior and mid-levels. Approximately 37.97% of startups have indicated that they intend to recruit more junior-level employees, while 27.27% of respondents are planning to focus on mid-level hiring. However, the Agri/agritech and automotive sectors will focus more on senior level C-suite hiring.

The survey further indicates that 54.38% of startups attribute the high attrition rate in the industry to factors such as better pay packages offered by larger corporations, as well as concerns over job security in a startup. Other factors contributing to attrition in startups include a lack of clarity around career progression and credibility.

Interestingly, 57.28% of the surveyed startups believe that ESOPs (Employee Stock Option Pool) have the potential to serve as an effective instrument for retaining employees. Furthermore, 41.49% of surveyed startups have already implemented ESOPs as a retention strategy.

In terms of hiring challenges faced by startups, the primary factors include a deficit in requisite skills, mismatches in salary expectations, and a reluctance among potential candidates to join a startup due to concerns over risk perception.

Mr Rohit Bansal, Chairman – FICCI Start-up Committee, and Co-founder, AceVector Group & Titan Capital said, “Startups create a large range of jobs as they grow and mature. As this report highlights, the initial opportunities arise as founders onboard the early team to help establish the business. A multiplier impact on job creation is seen in the growth and expansion stage when operations expand, and various initiatives mature. The dynamic working environment in startups provides the ideal training ground for aspiring entrepreneurs who then move on to create their own startups. This creates a virtuous cycle of growth, with each successive cohort adding jobs and enterprises. With their pan-India footprint, startups create jobs and economic opportunities beyond just the top cities and are key partners in India’s growth story.”

Presenting insights from the startup hiring trends survey, Mr. Viswanath PS, MD & CEO, Randstad India said, “Every large corporation once started as an early-stage company and navigated its way through several challenges to reach where they are today. It gives me immense pleasure to quote that startups are rapidly emerging as significant players in India’s employment landscape. With the emergence of several new-age innovative organizations across sectors, the Indian start-up ecosystem will be a significant contributor to India’s economic growth over the next few years. More importantly, these startups will eventually go on to create unique employment opportunities and career paths, innovation and competitive dynamics in the world of work.

Randstad’s exclusive survey in association with FICCI reveals that the majority of early-stage startups are exhibiting strong hiring intentions, which is a testament to the strength of India’s diverse talent pool that’s available in the job market today. I believe these early-stage startups and their growth ambitions will fuel the next phase of India Inc.’s emergence as the world’s most attractive employment hub. I am confident that the Randstad-FICCI Start-Up Hiring Trends Survey will provide unique insights into the country’s evolving startup ecosystem, ​key ​trends and its immense contribution to socio-economic development and transformation.”

Startup recruitment trends

a.Permanent vs Gig Workforce

• 57.76% of startups are looking for permanent recruits
• Only 42.24% are looking to hire temporary and gig workers

b. Geography in Focus

• Hyderabad and Pune are emerging as the frontrunners in senior-level hiring, reflecting strong intent among startups in these regions.
• Additionally, middle-level hiring is expected to be prominent across cities such as Kolkata, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Pune, and Delhi/NCR.
• A considerable proportion of hiring activity across startups is expected to occur at the junior level, with Delhi/NCR, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Hyderabad being the prominent cities in this category.

c.Qualifications in Demand

• 45.21% of startups are looking to hire semi-skilled employees, while 41.49% of startups are seeking highly skilled professionals.
• In terms of campus placements, a majority of startups, (67.55%) are focusing on private MBA and engineering colleges, as well as state universities, as these institutes offer quality talent at affordable salary packages.
• Only a small proportion (9.16%) of startups are opting for premier institutions such as IITs and IIMs for their campus placements.

Q1 FY23-24 records 10% increase in hiring outlook YoY: 64% of employers keen to hire more – TeamLease

Mumbai, 29th March, 2023: TeamLease Services, India’s leading staffing conglomerate revolutionising employment, employability, and ease of doing business, has released its “Employment Outlook Report” for the Services and Manufacturing sectors for Q1 (April to June 2023). The report is an in-depth analysis of hiring trends across industries, functions, and regions for non-white collar job roles. According to the report, despite the ongoing global turmoil, hiring intent in India has steadily increased over the past year. In comparison to the same quarter in the previous year (April-June 2022-23), hiring intentions in Q1 Apr-Jun FY23-24 is 10% higher. Close to 64% of employers (compared to 54% in Q1, 2022) are keen to increase their resource pool across industries. However, compared to Q4 FY22-23, the hiring outlook has witnessed a 4% dip.

According to the report findings, Q1 is projecting a strong outlook, especially for entry and junior-level employees, in both Service (73% and 71%, respectively) and Manufacturing (49% and 55%, respectively) sectors. The outlook for mid-level (54%) in Services and (32%) in Manufacturing is also balanced. From a business size perspective, large-sized organisations in the services (86%) and manufacturing (73%) sectors have weathered the recession well and have higher levels of hiring intent than in the previous quarter. Across the two quarters and sizes of companies, the services sector has higher levels of hiring intent than the manufacturing sector.

Sharing his views about the industry and the report’s findings, Mr. Kartik Narayan, CEO – Staffing, TeamLease Services, said, “Industries around the world, including those in India, have been severely affected by the current global unrest, which has resulted in large-scale layoffs, a hiring freeze, and an imminent economic downturn. Despite this, hiring prospects in India have continued to improve over the past year, with 64% of employers in the service and manufacturing industries expressing a positive outlook on hiring. The main reason for this is the changing global investment dynamics and the precautionary measures that businesses are taking.”

For candidates who are looking to secure job opportunities in the services sectors, some of the key industries leading the hiring spree are Telecommunications (96%), Financial Services (93%), Ecommerce & Allied Start-ups (89%), Retail (87%) and Education Services (83%). Whereas, for those who are looking to build a promising future in the manufacturing sector, some of the prominent industries are Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals (91%), FMCG (89%) as well as EV & Infrastructure (73%).

From a sectoral perspective, in Metro & Tier-1 cities, the hiring intent for services is at (91%) and for the manufacturing sector is at (85%). Tier-1 cities like Delhi (95%) and Mumbai (92%) in services and Mumbai (98%) and Chennai (91%) in manufacturing are thriving mainly across Financial Services, Telecommunications, Information Technology and Manufacturing, Engineering & Infrastructure, FMCG, Healthcare & Pharmaceutical respectively. However, rural hiring intentions are the lowest across all geographies and sectors. The services sector, on the other hand, shows a marginal growth of 26%.

As the world is on a massive digitization spree, the demand for skilled workers has increased to 3% and 2% in Q1 Apr-Jun FY 2023-24 for services and manufacturing, respectively. In contrast, in Q1 Apr-Jun FY 2023-24, the intent to hire for Blue-Collar job roles decreased by 6% for services and 8% for manufacturing, while the Engineering function increased slightly. Companies are also focusing more on digital marketing strategies in order to adapt to changing consumer behaviour.

“Looking at the current 5G rollout, adoption and increasing number of use cases, the telecommunications sector in India is seeing an increase in infrastructure investment to meet the growing needs of both local and global clients. As a result, telecom companies plan to invest INR 2,000 crore in the construction of large hyper-scale data centres, resulting in steady growth and job creation for blue-collar, gig, and grey-collar workers. Additionally, the information technology industry is also looking to establish data centres. While there is demand for traditional non-white-collar jobs in the sector, workforce rationalisation around the world and in India has impacted hiring intentions.” added Mr. Mayur Taday, Chief Business Officer, TeamLease Services.

Looking at the attrition trend, the services industry is seeing a low talent retention rate, especially in Growth Businesses (11%) and Mature Businesses (15%) whereas the manufacturing industry is observing a positive increment across segments like Textile (2.23%), Power and Energy (6.47%), and Manufacturing, Engineering & Infrastructure (8.14%), the same industries had observed the attrition of 1.22%, 5.63%, and 7.51 respectively in Oct-Dec, 2022.

The TeamLease Employment Outlook Report is a foresight tool for Business and HR heads, Senior Management and Policy-makers as well as employees and freshers to better understand the hiring sentiment. It had surveyed 809 small, medium and large companies across 14 industries in India and covered non-white collar profiles. The Intent to hire indicator is specifically tailored to capture both moderate and significant changes in hiring sentiment within companies. By comparing the previous quarter’s environment to the current quarter, the metric allows us to accurately gauge the current quarter’s environment.

Greenwood High kids participate in unique ‘Farmers Sante’

Bangalore, March 29, 2023: In a unique initiative that gave a glimpse of the agricultural milieu, Greenwood High International School organized a ‘’Farmers Sante’’ for their pre-primary kids that gave a wonderful exposure to farmers’ lives. Teachers and farmers explained the significance of farming to the children with activities related to agriculture, food, animal rearing, health and nutrition. At the Sante, freshly harvested vegetables along with domesticated animals were on display for the kids to witness a real life Sante (Market) experience.

The children purchased vegetables and milk while the teachers guided the young ones on how to trade. The farmers market provided an exhilarating learning opportunity as children learned the importance of eating fresh & healthily and the need for supporting local farmers. They also got to know about different types of produce, how they are cultivated, and to pick fresh fruits and vegetables. They also learned on how to handle money. With all this, they also gained an appreciation for natural products and it also proved to be a great place for children to practice social skills by interacting with farmers, vendors, and other shoppers.

Commenting on the event, Ms. Niru Agarwal, Trustee, Greenwood High International School, said: “The Farmers Sante was an excellent opportunity for young children to be exposed to village life which is the backbone of the country. Inculcating young children with values around rural lifestyle is important so that they know how people live in non-urban places with a different set of values. At the event, children felt overwhelmed by a sense of satisfaction upon accomplishing independent shopping. We thank the farmers who made this event possible and we will continue to encourage such activities in our school campus.”

Campus Activewear achieves 200 stores milestone across India; unveils its first exclusive outlet in Lulu Mall of Kochi

Mumbai, 29th March 2023: Campus Activewear, one of India’s largest sports and athleisure footwear brands announces a major milestone in its journey towards expansion and growth by achieving the landmark of 200th stores across India. To celebrate this achievement, the company opened its first exclusive outlet in Kochi at Lulu Mall as a testament to its commitment to providing high-quality, fashionable, and affordable activewear to customers.

Campus Activewear, began its retail journey in 2017, with the opening of 35 brand outlets till 2020. Since then, the brand has continued to thrive and expand, with a strong focus on retail expansion opening 100 stores last year. Today, Campus has reached 200 stores across India, making its products more accessible to customers than ever before.

To mark this milestone, Campus Activewear has opened its first exclusive brand outlet in Kochi, at the prestigious Lulu Mall. The outlet boasts a contemporary design, reflecting the brand’s commitment to a fashion-forward active wear. The new store will showcase the latest collections and exclusive designs, providing customers with an unparalleled shopping experience. The outlet launch is a part of the brand’s growth journey from continuously driving fashion forward narrative and adopting a multi-channel sales approach to add value to the customer’s brand journey while serving the latent demand.

Speaking at the launch, Mr Nikhil Aggarwal, CEO, Campus Activewear Ltd. said, “We are excited to announce the launch of our first exclusive outlet in Lulu Mall of Kochi, which also marks our momentous 200th store milestone across India. This remarkable achievement is a reflection of our unwavering dedication to delivering footwear that seamlessly blends quality, style, and affordability. Our newly inaugurated outlet boasts a state-of-the-art shopping experience that promises to elevate our customer’s retail experience. With better brand visibility, accessible pricing, and increased customer touch-points, we are committed to ensure highest level of customer satisfaction.”

Campus Activewear 200th store milestone video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B6e2-QsMrU

With the support of all customers and stakeholders, Campus honours that the fondness for its products, quality, and design has grown exponentially across cities and towns. Evolving with time, Campus aims to boost confident self-expression and raise shoe consciousness in youth. As an ambition, Campus Activewear aims to emerge as the most preferred athleisure brand in India, and bets big on design and product innovation every single time to provide fashion for consumers’ feet.

Sound on: Columbia Pacific Communities debuts its sonic identity

Mumbai, March 29, 2023: Columbia Pacific Communities (CPC), India’s largest and most preferred operator of senior living communities, launched its sonic identity on March 27, 2023. Sonic branding is one of the new trends that brands are adopting, which uses music to establish a distinctive brand identity. Similar to a visual identity, the sonic identity includes a MOGO® (musical logo) which is the core element to support the extension of the brand.

With the launch, CPC becomes one of the few brands in the country, and the only senior living brand, with a sonic identity. The purpose of the new musical logo, or MOGO®, is to emotionally engage with its audience and help deepen their connection with the brand, while also producing a powerful sonic identity that the audience can instantly connect with and recall. While Columbia Pacific Communities is part of a global conglomerate, the brand intended to develop a sonic identity that was deeply rooted in India and mirrored emotions and the spirit of the country. The brand launched the sonic identity in collaboration with BrandMusiq, a global sonic branding agency.

Speaking on the occasion, Piali Dasgupta, Senior Vice President – Marketing, Columbia Pacific Communities said, “Sound is considered one of the most important senses by scientists, second only to sight. In the age of digital technology, sound and visuals are equally important to a brand’s identity and awareness. The sonic identity of Columbia Pacific Communities makes use of sound technology to elicit the desired persona, characteristics, and sentiments of the brand. Together with BrandMusiq, which is recognised as a pioneer in the industry for designing unique sonic identities, CPC produced a zone of sound that was motivated by our approach to community living with harmony, honesty, and transparency. Our basic values of care, empathy, and compassion, as well as the representation of the brand’s core concept of positive ageing, are the key components that have been incorporated into the sonic identity. The importance of a strong sonic identity in creating a brand that is easily recognisable, memorable, and builds a lasting connect with its consumers, is undeniable ”

Rajeev Raja, founder and sound smith, BrandMusiq, said, “BrandMusiq is thrilled to have created the sonic identity for Columbia Pacific Communities. CPC’s promise of ‘positive ageing’ mirrors BrandMusiq’s emotions of ’empathy and care’ with optimism acting as a balance. We created the MOGO® based on the master sound or MOGOSCAPE®. We combined several Indian ragas and scales to compose the brand’s sonic identity. The tune used is Raag Tilak Kamod in one portion, highlighting the brand’s empathetic and affectionate demeanour, and Raag Desh in another, reflecting Indian values and tradition of caring for the elderly.”

The key touch points for customers and prospects to experience the MOGO® include during on-ground events, video assets and video campaigns, in elevators, on the community app (Genie) for residents as notifications and updates, mobile ringtones of the frontline staff, in Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems, amongst others.