Achal Khanna asks for a bold prediction for CEO s and CHROs of the SHRM India governing council. In this 40 second video I call out Return to Office and the rigidity around it as a big challenge for 2026. Let me explain: 1. 90 pc of companies want employees in the office at least 3 days a week. 2. Number of remote only jobs has dropped to below 10 pc. 3. At the XLRI convocation I was talking to young people and all of them listed rigid office hours as a pain point. 4. When a company insists on RTO All 5 days of the week, about 44 pc comply. 41 pc look for a new job and 14 pc quit. This is USA data. 5. Transportation is the No 3 expense in India. So coming to office is expensive for many employees. 6. When we insist on RTO, we lose women employees. 7. 71 pc of employees feel they are more productive from home. 8. In some cases RTO is being used as a synonym policy for lay offs. 9. Employees want FLEXIBILITY more than anything else. All leaders must address that flexibility. shiv www.shivshivakumar.com

In this 1 minute video with the SHRM India advisory council, discuss 1. AI needed in Job specification has gone up 70 pc in the last one year. 2.McKinsey put out a report that said organisations with AI capability outperform others by a factor of 2 to 6 3. Entry level jobs are down by 16 pc. 4. 48 pc of large firms have an AI officer now The CEO Mindset is available at https://AMZN.in/d/9WNM0Eu

In this 2 minute video with the SHRM India advisory council I mention the following: 1. Open offices lead to more transparency and visibility. 2. Leaders need to worry about confidentiality and guard against what they talk openly much like the way people talk in the aircraft today. 3. Young people see leaders daily and vice versa. There is mutual accountability. 4. Routine tasks will be taken over by AI. Example, In the past a company secretary spent at least 30 pc of time transcribing board meetings. That's a job AI does in minutes now. 5. AI can do a lot but it cannot do three things: a. Make your decisions for you b. Substitute your judgement c. Choose the right people for you enjoy

This is a prediction I make with the SHRM India advisory council in this 2 minute podcast. 1. I think 2026 will be a defining year for employees and CHROs. 2. Jobs, Organisation structure, offices will change. 3. 48 pc of FTSE companies have an AI officer now. Boards are nominating two members of a management team to lead AI change 4. HR is no longer a support function to technology or anybody, it has to pioneer and lead change. 5 Young people believe that 4 Power skills will help them tide over AI: Emotional intelligence Creativity Resilience Social Influence

In this 1 minute video with the advisory council of SHRM India I point out 1. 52 pc of employees are worried about their job because of AI. 2. So, employees have FOBO, Fear of being Obsolete. 3. Achal Khanna challenges me and asks whose responsibility is to be AI ready? 4. Fresh recruitment is coming with AI skills as a given specification but what do you do with employees who have been with you for a few years. The company has to organise their upskilling ASAP. 5. Staying relevant for tomorrow is the challenge at every level. This is entirely dependent on one's learning style.

In this 2 minute video of the governing council with the SHRM India , I say: 1. The Gartner report says that 15 pc of routine work willve done by AI agents by 2028. 2. CHRO s and CEO s must manage a future workplace of human beings and machines. 3. The physical workplace has changed and will change to be more open and transparent. 4. In 2015, 12 pc of white collar workers had a cubicle or cabin. In 2025 only 3 pc of white collar workers had a cabin. 5. The best view in the office is no longer reserved for the CEO, the best view is for the common area and everyone. 6. Only 7 pc of senior managers have a cabin. Achal Khanna has one of the best corner view offices. 7. So, 93 pc of people joining the workforce will sit in an open office all their working life. 8. Offices of the future will have great experience of food, greenery, technology and view.