Reskilling Over Layoffs: NITES' Call to Action Amid Tech Turbulence

NITES urges tech companies to emphasize reskilling instead of layoffs as AI advances threaten job security. The organization calls for policy interventions to ensure severance pay and workplace guidelines to protect employees. Recent tech layoffs highlight the need for accountability and corporate responsibility, argues NITES President Harpreet Singh Saluja.

The Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES) has strongly urged tech companies to prioritize reskilling over layoffs, as AI developments spark job insecurity. The body is calling for immediate policy intervention to mandate severance norms and safeguards to protect white-collar workers.

NITES President Harpreet Singh Saluja highlighted that despite robust tech profits, job security is weakening. Saluja emphasizes corporate responsibility, stating companies should invest in reskilling if they are investing in AI. He urged policymakers to introduce legal protections, such as mandatory notice periods and fair severance, to shield workers.

Instances of mass layoffs by tech giants like Oracle and Google have raised alarms. NITES argues that efficiency should not come at the expense of employee welfare, stressing the need for structured frameworks to manage job transitions responsibly, amid ongoing concerns of mental health impact on workers.

(With inputs from agencies.)