Brands
Brands keep up positivity during Covid-19 pandemic
MUMBAI: As millions of people across the world are isolating themselves inside their homes to fight the spread of novel coronavirus, the need for positivity assumes far more significance. This might look like an unusual time to talk about positivity. Nevertheless, positivity remains the main ingredient to create a healthy recipe of not giving up in crisis.
People posting messages on social media brands are coming forward to bring a positive sentiment among people during these troubling times. And amidst the global challenges posed by COVID-19, brands are trying to spread positivity through various campaigns.
Mankind Pharma has come up with #Thanksforbeingmyfamily – a short film that showcases the hard work done by doctors and medical staff for the society.
Mankind Pharma CEO Rajeev Juneja says: “With the exponential rise in coronavirus cases in our country, we should acknowledge our medical fraternity like doctors, nurses and paramedics for their fighting spirit and selfless services. Let’s all of us follow required guidelines and help them by taking care of our own self.”
#Thanksforbeingmyfamily resonates everyone's thoughts of saluting the medical personnel, who are not giving up even in the adverse situation.
The COVID19 virus has been affecting hundreds of thousands of people and is having a growing impact on the global economy.
Says Metro vice president – marketing and e-commerce Alisha Malik: “At Metro Brands, the safety of our customers and employees is at the top of the priority list. All necessary safety measures like regular cleaning, sanitization, creating awareness among staff, work from home, setting up helplines internally and many other measures have been taken to ensure the safety of employees. We have also implemented all the best-known safety guidelines available for both employees and customers. It’s extremely important to keep employees motivated as well. Hence, we have been constantly motivating our employees, working from home, to utilise this time to enhance their own skills.”
Private radio network 93.5 RED FM has launched an on-air initiative ‘Care Karona’ that puts the spotlight on spreading authentic information about Coronavirus. Amidst the ongoing global health crisis, it has become more important to protect and safeguard everybody irrespective of their professions. With a similar vision, RED FM is encouraging its listeners to become facilitators of correct information by educating their maids, and drivers who are in direct contact with people to contain the ripple effect of virus.
Sarva founder and Diva Yoga co-founder Sarvesh Shashi said, “The Coronavirus outbreak has left many of us worried and restricted to our homes. Although our physical studios are currently non-operational, we have launched special online classes and a gratitude feature for those who wish to stay at home and practice. The classes are not only meant for our members but anyone and everyone who wants to continue their fitness regimen despite being unable to venture out. These are aimed at three things – physical fitness, immunity building and anxiety management. Both SARVA and DIVA yoga are utilising technology in the best possible way to help people achieve this and tide over the crisis.”
Housejoy CEO Sanchit Gaurav has launched a Virus Fumigation Service for offices and homes. “The products we use have proven to be highly effective in curbing the spread of 65 strains of viruses, 400 strains of bacteria and 100 strains of fungi. We are currently providing free services to a few old-age homes and hospitals and in the process of creating a brief guideline for anyone wanting to sanitize their homes."
“We at Munchilicious take this opportunity through our social media posts to create awareness and communicate directing our consumers to stay safe, stay at home and eat healthy. The major purpose is to focus on angles like social distancing, healthy eating and pro tips which are the most needed in this kind of pandemic. It also intends to provide a solution to the eating patterns for all those who are working from home because of this pandemic,” adds SOCH Foods LLP founder Rohit Pugalia
Joining the bandwagon is Schindler India, a provider of escalators and elevators. It has launched an additional employee assistance programme called 'Schindler cares' – a wellbeing initiative.
Speaking about the initiative, Schindler India and South Asia chief people officer Shubha Arora says, “As a leader in employee engagement, we recognise the link between happiness, wellbeing and fulfilment for achieving productivity at the workplace. Schindler India values the wellbeing of its employees and we understand that preventive measures need to be taken to fight this current outbreak of COVID-19.
“Our employees and their families through our Employee Assistance Programme ‘Schindler Cares’ can access wellbeing services confidentially. We are pleased to have partnered with Santulan, and their team of experts to help provide guidance and counselling to deal with life’s expected and unexpected events,” said Arora.
Brands
Wipro hires 7,500 freshers, withholds FY27 hiring outlook
Profit rises to Rs 3,522 crore, Rs 15,000 crore buyback announced.
MUMBAI- Hiring may be on, but visibility is off, Wipro is adding talent even as it pauses the crystal ball. The company hired 7,500 freshers in FY26 but stopped short of offering any hiring outlook for FY27, underscoring the uncertainty gripping the IT services sector as it pivots towards an AI-led operating model.
The disclosure came alongside its fourth-quarter earnings, where management flagged volatile demand conditions and refrained from committing to future workforce expansion. Chief human resources officer Saurabh Govil noted that over 3,000 of the total hires were onboarded in the March quarter alone, signalling continued intake despite a lack of clarity on deployment pipelines.
This divergence active hiring without forward guidance reflects a broader industry pattern where talent acquisition continues even as deal conversions remain uneven and client spending cycles stretch. Wipro expects its IT services revenue for the June quarter to range between a decline of 2 per cent and flat growth sequentially in constant currency terms, reinforcing near-term caution.
Chief executive officer Srini Pallia pointed to artificial intelligence as both a disruptor and an opportunity. He said evolving client priorities are pushing the company towards outcome-driven engagements, with Wipro increasingly focusing on a services-as-software model through its AI Native Business and Platforms unit. The shift marks a structural change from traditional headcount-led growth to AI-enabled delivery frameworks.
The company has already committed over $1 billion to its AI ecosystem, with investors closely watching how these investments translate into revenue. For now, the numbers present a mixed picture. Net profit rose sequentially to Rs 3,522 crore, while revenue grew 3 per cent to Rs 24,236 crore. However, core IT services performance remained under pressure, with full-year revenue declining 0.3 per cent in dollar terms and 1.6 per cent in constant currency.
Large deal bookings offered a counterpoint, rising 45.4 per cent year-on-year to $7.8 billion, highlighting a widening gap between deal wins and actual revenue realisation. On a quarterly basis, IT services revenue slipped 1.2 per cent sequentially, signalling continued softness in execution.
Margins, however, told a more optimistic story. Operating margins expanded to 17.3 per cent in the fourth quarter, up from 14.8 per cent in the previous quarter, reflecting improved cost discipline. That said, the company cautioned that upcoming wage hikes and the ramp-up of large deals could exert pressure going forward.
Attrition stood at 13.8 per cent in the March quarter, indicating stabilisation after periods of elevated churn. Alongside its earnings, Wipro also announced a Rs 15,000 crore share buyback, reinforcing its focus on shareholder returns, with a payout ratio of 88 per cent over the past three years.
Taken together, the numbers capture a company in transition investing in AI, maintaining hiring momentum, but navigating a demand environment where growth is uneven and visibility remains limited.
