Brands
BlackBerry partners with Mumbai Indians for IPL
MUMBAI: The Indian Premier League (IPL) fever is catching up. In the latest, BlackBerry has announced its exclusive partnership with the champions side, Mumbai Indian. As a part of the association, Mumbai Indians, has launched an exclusive BBM channel called ‘Mumbai Indians’ to engage and drive deeper connect with their millions fans and followers across the globe.
Commenting on the occasion, Mumbai Indian spokesperson said, “Mumbai Indians have always derived inspiration from its over 5.5 million fan support, who form the nucleus of our on-and-off field performance. Over the last four years, we have looked for innovative ways to connect and interact with our patrons and this year will be no different. The exclusive ‘Mumbai Indians’ BBM channel presents an excellent opportunity for our fans to stay closer to their favorite team throughout the season.”
BlackBerry senior marketing director for BBM Asia Pacific Krishnadeep Baruah commented, “India is a land where cricket is one of the most widely followed sport. As Indians, we live and breathe cricket, and BlackBerry is thrilled to be the official partners for Mumbai Indians. We are hopeful that via BBM channel, Mumbai Indian fans across the globe will be able to engage, interact and stay updated with their favorite team and its players.”
Riding on the IPL wave, BlackBerry has announced a number of exciting contests which will provide exclusive experiences to Mumbai Indians BBM channel followers. The contests will allow 11 lucky winners to watch the team practice from their dug out. There will also be contest give-aways such as autographed bats, tee’s and match tickets. BBM channel will allow fans to follow MI updates closely during IPL, experience exclusive content and have access to team members channel posts on given days.
Launched in November 2013, BBM channels is a forum for active, real conversations between people, brands and communities. The channel will be available across BlackBerry (BlackBerry OS 5, 6, 7 and 10), iOS and Android OS platforms.
Brands
33 per cent of women believe the salary scale is rigged: Naukri report
Voices @ Work study finds rising calls for equal pay audits and lingering bias
MUMBAI: Progress may be visible in India’s workplaces, but many women still feel the need to tread carefully. A new report by Naukri reveals that one in two women hesitate to disclose marriage or maternity plans during job interviews, worried that such information could influence hiring decisions.
The findings come from the second edition of Naukri’s annual Voices @ Work International Women’s Day report, titled “What Women Professionals Want.” Drawing insights from more than 50,000 women across over 50 industries, the survey sheds light on evolving workplace aspirations alongside the biases that continue to hold women back.
One of the report’s most striking insights is the growing demand for equal pay audits. The share of women calling for regular pay parity checks has climbed to 27 per cent this year, up from 19 per cent a year ago. The demand now stands alongside menstrual leave as the most sought after workplace policy.
Interestingly, the call for pay transparency grows louder higher up the income ladder. Nearly half of women earning between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore annually say equal pay audits are a priority, suggesting that pay gaps become more visible as women move up the career ladder.
At the same time, confidence and ambition appear to be rising. About 83 per cent of women say they feel encouraged to pursue leadership roles, a significant jump from 66 per cent last year. Cities in southern India appear particularly supportive, with Hyderabad leading the way as 86 per cent of respondents there reported encouragement to step into leadership positions. The education sector recorded the highest sense of encouragement at 87 per cent.
Yet the report also highlights a growing trust deficit around pay equity. Nearly one in three women, or 33 per cent, say they do not believe men and women are paid equally at their workplace. That figure has risen from 25 per cent last year, pointing to widening perceptions of disparity as careers progress.
Bias in hiring and promotions continues to be the biggest hurdle. About 42 per cent of respondents say workplace bias is the main challenge for women from diverse backgrounds. The concern is consistent across major metros, with Chennai and Delhi NCR reporting similar levels.
Reluctance to discuss personal milestones during hiring processes is also widespread. While 34 per cent overall said they hesitate to share marriage or maternity plans in interviews, the anxiety increases with experience. Among professionals with 10 to 15 years of work experience, the figure rises to 40 per cent.
Info Edge group CMO Sumeet Singh, said the data reflects both progress and unfinished work. “Behind every data point in this report is a woman who is ambitious. The fact that 83 per cent feel encouraged to lead is something to celebrate. However, the fact that one in two still hide their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is far from done. As India’s leading career platform, it felt not just important but necessary for us to shine a light on these gaps through the second edition of our report,” he said.
The report suggests that while ambition among women professionals is growing, structural changes around pay transparency, fair hiring and supportive policies will be key if workplaces hope to keep pace.
