At Wipro, future hikes to depend on upskilling, reskilling, says HR boss

Saurabh Govil has stated that niche skills such as generative AI and cybersecurity will be important for employees

Wipro has stated that future salary hikes for its employees would be based on their efforts to upskill and reskill themselves.

Saurabh Govil, the company's head of human resources, told this to the Times of India during an interview, while emphasising the importance of acquiring "niche skills" such as generative AI and cybersecurity.

In the interview, Govil stated that new employees will no longer be hired with a straight 30 per cent pay raise, which was done in 2021 when there were many opportunities and high attrition rates. However, those who possess niche skills such as generative AI and cybersecurity will receive a premium.

Govil, who has been Wipro's Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) for over 30 years, also mentioned the increasing role of generative AI in the company. As this technology progresses, routine tasks like analysis will be automated, shifting employees' focus towards more complex work.

Regarding Wipro's use of artificial intelligence, Govil explained that the company aims to have 80 per cent of HR queries handled by bots. Human resources professionals will then be able to concentrate on coaching managers and leaders in team building and improving their management skills.

These comments from Wipro's HR chief come at a time when 92 per cent of incoming freshers have accepted the company's proposal to start at a lower salary (Rs 3.5 lakh per year) compared to the original offer (Rs 6.5 lakh per year), according to a report by Hindustan Times.

Reskilling and upskilling became buzzwords among corporates during the Covid-19 lockdowns that required people to quickly adapt to new work environments. Online skilling platforms like Unacademy and upGrad joined the unicorn club in September 2020, and 2021, respectively due to the surge in demand for online courses.

With courses becoming easily accessible and affordable, companies also appear to be expecting employees to take advantage of these. However, whether Wipro will provide any monetary or any other forms of support to employees pursuing any form of upskilling and reskilling was not mentioned in the interview.

In the second half of May, PTI reported that Wipro was starting an average variable payout at 80.2 per cent beginning in the fourth quarter of financial year 2023.

Furthermore, according to the Form 20-F, filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission by Wipro, their chairman, Rishad Premji, saw a fall in his remuneration by nearly 50 per cent for the financial year that concluded in March 2023. This was reportedly due to the IT company’s fall in profits.