Latest news with #Deel
News.com.au
12 hours ago
- Business
- News.com.au
‘Quiet crisis' playing out across Australian workplaces right now
A 'quiet crisis' is emerging across Australia as the world enters a new workforce era, with leaders warned that being unwilling to adapt could have serious consequences in the near future. The way we work has transformed dramatically in recent years, with the Covid-19 pandemic forcing people to adapt to new ways of working. Even though we are no longer in the thick of lockdowns and social distancing, the changes that occurred to workplaces during that period don't look like they are going away any time soon. For a lot of office-based employees, hybrid or remote work has become the norm and, despite a recent rise in company's issuing return to office mandates, Aussie workers won't give up their new-found flexibility easily. A new report from payroll and HR company, Deel, explores how workers are responding to shifting workplace conditions, including AI disruption, cost of living pressures, how they are being paid and the benefits they are receiving. More than 1000 full-time Australian office workers were surveyed as part of the 2025 Deel Australia Payday Expectations Report, revealing a widening gap between what employees want and what their employers are willing to give. Shannon Karaka, Deel's Country Leader for Australia, said one of the big things that was made clear in the report is that Aussie workers want more control, particularly when it comes to their pay. 'This report reveals a quiet crisis unfolding in workplaces, and the urgency for businesses to evolve – from modernising payroll to supporting financial resilience,' he said. 'Today's employees expect the same level of customisation and speed from their workplace benefits as they do from their favourite apps. 'We're seeing a growing demand for payroll to be a financial service, one that empowers employees with real-time access, flexibility, and greater control over their earnings.' Of those surveyed, 38 per cent said they want to be paid sooner than they currently are, this rises to 50 per cent among those struggling financially and 55 per cent for households earning under $50,000 a year. But it isn't just when they are being paid that they want more say on, it is also how they are being paid. Three in five said they would considered receiving part of their salary in non-traditional forms, such as stocks, shares or equity. Gen Z were most likely to consider alternative forms of payment, along with being the most likely age group to consider receiving cryptocurrency as part of their salary. The vast majority of those surveyed said they would want the option of customising their pay and benefits package, with 64 per cent saying they would trade paid leave benefits for a higher salary. Despite this, it is clear work-life balance is also a high priority, with two thirds of respondents ranking either flexible working hours or remote work options among their most important benefits in a job. One in four revealed they would also take lower pay in exchange for more flexibility. A whopping 78 per cent said they were willing to give up perks like gym access, free meals or company events for more flexible working conditions. Gen Z are also leading the charge in this area, with 90 per cent of respondents in this age group saying they would trade traditional benefits for more flexibility, compared to just 51 per cent of Baby Boomers. The results make it clear there is a growing disconnect between what is being offered and what workers actually want. Speaking to Mr Karaka that if this gap around compensation, benefits and flexibility continues to widen, we are going to see 'serious consequences across Australian workplaces'. He said companies that don't adapt to these changes will be 'left behind'. 'Retention will drop, engagement will suffer, and top talent – especially among younger generations – will walk away in favour of more progressive, flexible employers,' Mr Karaka said. 'The best thing employers can do right now is listen, and then act. The data is clear: employees want more flexibility, transparency, and control over how and when they're paid.' For those businesses that are willing to listen to employees and adapt accordingly, Mr Karaka suggested the first step is to modernise payroll systems. This could look like offering features such a s real-time pay, customisable benefits and financial wellness tools. However, he noted that none of these changes can happen without 'rebuilding trust', but ensuring there is always available to resolve issues and being transparent about how salaries and bonuses are calculated. 'This is about meeting employees where they are. Gen Z and Millennials, in particular, expect their workplace experience to match the speed and personalisation of the apps they use every day,' he said. 'Employers who embrace this shift won't just keep up, they'll lead.'
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
How To Catch A Corporate Spy
Troy Batterberry is the founder & CEO of EchoMark, an AI-powered watermarking solution designed to combat internal information theft. The cutthroat world of financial technology has a corporate espionage problem. In recent months, Silicon Valley's fintech industry has been rattled by a series of lawsuits (subscription required) detailing corporate spying between various competitors, including allegations of theft of innovations, financial information and more. Perhaps the most well-known imbroglio concerns HR software companies Deel and Rippling, which saw the latter ensnare an alleged spy in its Dublin office back in March. With many fintech companies fighting to stay competitive in a saturated market, the incentive to steal has never been more pronounced. Spying in Silicon Valley isn't new, but what has changed is the ease with which a motivated employee can quickly pilfer sensitive data. A single Slack message, screenshot or file download can leak millions of dollars' worth of intellectual property, customer lists or product roadmaps. According to the 2025 Ponemon Cost of Insider Risks Report, the cost of insider risk only continues to rise, with the annual average expenditures rising from $16.2 million in 2023 to $17.4 million this year. As pressure mounts, those numbers are only expected to grow. So, how can companies defend themselves against internal threats? Here are four strategies every modern company should adopt to defend against insider threats. 1. Watch for behavioral anomalies. Catching a corporate spy starts with establishing what 'normal' looks like in your organization so you can quickly detect what isn't. Security teams have long relied on static rules: file downloads over a certain size, access to systems outside business hours and logins from unusual locations. But these rules often miss the subtle behavior that precedes a real breach. Modern insider threat detection must focus on contextual behavior. If a marketing associate suddenly accesses engineering documentation they've never touched before, that's a signal worth investigating. Indeed, Rippling purportedly flushed out its alleged spy by surveilling how many times a target employee peeked in on certain Slack channels. Today's behavioral analytics tools use artificial intelligence to baseline employee activity and detect anomalies without constant human supervision. More advanced tools can correlate seemingly benign actions (like, say, accessing a file) into risk profiles that help security teams prioritize real threats over false alarms. These tools can be privacy-aware, targeting risky behavior rather than personal data. 2. Watermark everything. In an age where screenshots can leak company secrets in seconds, prevention isn't enough. You need traceability. That's where forensic watermarking comes in. By embedding invisible, individualized identifiers into emails, documents, and communications, a company or individual can create a unique chain of custody for sensitive information, even if it's screenshotted or photographed. These watermarks don't interfere with content and can't be removed or detected by the recipient; if a leak does occur, a company can trace it back to the exact individual who mishandled the data in the first place, whether accidentally or maliciously. But perhaps the greatest value of ubiquitous watermarking is psychological. When employees know sensitive data is traceable to them personally, they behave more carefully. That accountability serves as a real, palpable deterrent to unauthorized disclosures. 3. Eliminate shared files. Here's a hard truth that too many corporations have yet to realize: If you're still circulating files through email attachments or shared drives, you've already lost control. The traditional file-based model of sharing is inherently insecure. Once a file leaves your secure environment, you have no visibility, no access control and no way to revoke or audit its use. That's a dangerous game in a competitive, IP-driven world. Modern organizations are shifting toward a zero-copy collaboration model, where content never leaves that secure environment in the first place. Instead of sending a spreadsheet, you provide someone with view-only access to a live dashboard. Instead of emailing a file like a PDF, you share a link to an experience to access the document. Hosted tools like Notion, Google Workspace, Figma and Airtable are designed to share controlled experiences and eliminate risky file sharing. Where files are still necessary (in, say, legal or sales workflows, for example), pair them with embedded watermarks and expiring links. Every document your company produces, internal and external, should be marked, monitored and, if possible, retractable. 4. Build a security-first culture. Catching a corporate spy is not just a technical problem but a cultural one as well. If your employees don't feel accountable for maintaining confidentiality, they'll find ways to circumvent controls. The situation rapidly deteriorates as information leaks go unchecked. More employees are likely to leak, and the organization can enter the 'leak doom loop,' a vicious cycle of unauthorized disclosures. Conversely, if they feel trusted, informed and accountable, they'll become allies in your security posture. The goal is to build a culture where accountability is expected and even embraced. That starts with transparency. Frequently remind employees why confidentiality matters and why security measures like watermarking or behavioral monitoring are used. Show how they protect everyone's work and the integrity of the company. Offer regular training, not just on phishing emails and password hygiene, but on the real-world consequences of data leaks. Make clear that data responsibility is part of the job, whether you're in engineering, HR, marketing or the C-suite. In my experience, the strongest companies treat security not as a burden but as a shared value. They trust their people—and, more importantly, they show it by giving them the tools to act responsibly. Conclusion The specter of corporate espionage looms large over the business world beyond fintech, and insider threats, in particular, have, in recent years, evolved from theoretical risk to statistical certainty. But by investing in behavioral monitoring, embedding traceability into data, eliminating uncontrolled file-sharing and cultivating a culture of shared responsibility, companies can protect themselves without undermining the very trust that makes teams effective. The right response to the rise of insider threats isn't paranoia but preparation, being able to say with confidence: "If something goes wrong, we'll know exactly what happened, and we'll know what to do next." And in today's hypercompetitive market, that knowledge isn't just power—it's survival. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Job hoppers or change makers? Why 7 in 10 Gen Z are switching jobs
Loyalty to the workplace was once sobriqueted as the most cherished professional ethic. However, here comes the present generation, the "Generation Z", emphatically and proudly challenging the status quo. This generation has ubiquitously established its presence in the headlines. More often than not, however, they have been renowned for their "not-so-professional work ethics." A crucial question reverberates through the corridors of corporates: Why can't Gen Z stick to one place? But before treating the young generation as the scapegoat, can we take a look beyond the shown picture? The job hoppers are not over-demanding but are rewriting the rules of the workspace—rules that ought to be written. Renowned for not settling for anything less, this digital-native generation is bound to redefine the workplace in more ways than one. With 69% of Gen Z professionals ready to switch roles and over 50% open to going fully remote for better pay, according to a survey by Deel, a global HR platform, what appears on the forefront may seem capricious. But it is, in fact, a meaningful shift in the meaning of work. For Gen Z, loyalty is not counted by the calendars you flipped in the same cubicle, but by what you have brought to the table. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo Old ladder, new climb Stepping away from their predecessors notion, who climbed the corporate ladder rung by rung, often trading off their stability, Gen Z has entered a workforce dominated by uncertainty and innovation. The COVID-19 pandemic shattered illusions of permanence, while remote work blurred boundaries and widened perspectives. Then comes Artificial Intelligence, effectively penetrating apprehensions of job loss in the hearts of the young generation. What has emerged is a cohort that is less afraid to walk away and more determined to take a leap towards purpose, growth, and fairness. The difference lies in priorities: Where older generations were taught to stay put and prove themselves, Gen Z is asking, prove what to whom, and at what cost? While Gen X and Millennials were conditioned to endure for delayed rewards, Gen Z demands transparency and immediacy, especially when it comes to pay, equity, and development. According to Deel's April-May 2025 survey, two in five Gen Z white-collar workers in India are not satisfied with their pay, despite India recording the fastest salary growth globally (11%) for this age group. In cities like Delhi-NCR (55%) and Mumbai (48%), the discontent is especially pronounced, fed by high living costs and stagnant wage structures. Breaking the mold, not just the contract Gen Z is not only switching jobs, they are mutely challenging the system that once defined success. Deel's research highlights not financial strain, but a sense of structural exclusion. A staggering 61% believe older colleagues receive preferential access to promotions, flexibility, and development opportunities. This isn't just a pay issue, it's a power imbalance or maybe favouritism. They're not climbing the ladder; they're redesigning it. And rather than waiting in line for their turn, the impatient generation is building a new queue, or leaving the building entirely. Many are turning their eyes to global roles that offer better pay and more inclusive cultures. In Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Chennai, more than two-thirds of Gen Z workers would leave for a global remote role if the compensation is right. From job hoppers to system shapers It is easy to sideline Gen Z as fickle or entitled. But that misses the forest for the trees. This is a generation shaped by economic volatility, social awareness, and technological agility. They are not switching jobs because they are confused; they are doing it because their goals are crystal clear about what they deserve. In truth, they may be the trailblazers the workforce needs. They are not burning bridges; they are building new ones. And in doing so, they are forcing companies to ask tough but overdue questions about what loyalty, leadership, and labour mean in 2025. So the next time a young employee walks out, it may not be impatience; it may be because they don't feel valued. Perhaps, it's not an exit, but a wake-up call. Is your child ready for the careers of tomorrow? Enroll now and take advantage of our early bird offer! Spaces are limited.
BreakingNews.ie
3 days ago
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Deel admits it instructed 'discreet' surveillance on spy case man
One of the companies in the international HR firms' "spy" dispute instructed that "discreet" surveillance be carried out on the Irish payroll compliance manager at the centre of High Court proceedings over the affair, a High Court judge has been told. US headquartered Deel Inc, which allegedly recruited Dublin man Keith O'Brien to pass on trade secrets to it from his employer Rippling, also headquartered in the US, did not instruct that there be covert or intimidatory surveillance on Mr O'Brien, Mr Justice Brian Cregan was told. Advertisement Last Friday, Mr O'Brien, of Balrothery in north Dublin, was granted a one side only represented injunction preventing "persons unknown", who were seen driving two different cars in the vicinity of Mr O'Brien's home and workplace, from harassing or intimidating him by following, photographing and recording him or members of his family. They were also restrained from attending within one kilometre of those places. The case was against persons unknown because his lawyers did not, at that stage, know the identities of the owners/drivers of the vehicles. The court was also told by Imogen McGrath SC, for Mr O'Brien, that it was believed the people involved were working for Deel and the conduct was designed to intimidate him because he had agreed to cooperate with Rippling in a separate case it is bringing over the spy affair against Deel and Mr O'Brien. Advertisement The court heard however that, in response to requests to desist, Deel's solicitors Hayes LLP had written to say their client had "no knowledge" of surveillance by any persons in the vehicles identified. On Wednesday, when the case returned to the High Court, Ms McGrath said there had been dramatic developments over the previous 24 hours. The identities associated with the two cars had been provided and the owner/driver of one car allegedly seen in one incident, a couple who attended court, were not involved in any surveillance and the case against them was being discontinued, counsel said. The driver of the second vehicle, which was involved in five other alleged incidents of following and surveilling, had also come forward. Advertisement John O'Regan BL, for the second driver, asked the judge that his client's name be anonymised until he is able to make a formal application in this respect. Counsel said the application will be in accordance with case precedent or statute law because his client has significant health issues and operates "in the sphere of surveillance", and revealing his identity could put his safety at risk and damage his business. Counsel also asked the case be put back as his client, while refuting Mr O'Brien's claims, wanted to come to a practical agreement in relation to the court orders. Mr Justice Cregan said he was prepared to hear the application for anonymisation of the defendant but was reluctant to make an order in relation to that at this stage. Advertisement The court heard that while Deel was not a defendant in Mr O'Brien's action, which includes a claim for damages, the judge had directed that their lawyers attend court on Wednesday to say why they should or should not be a party. Paul Gardiner SC, for Deel, told the judge his client had instructed that "discreet surveillance" be carried out on Mr O'Brien, but there was no question that it should be covert and used to intimidate or harass him. "My client (Deel) engaged with Person B (to carry out surveillance) and unknown to us, they engaged Person A and Deel was not involved in instructing anyone to carry out intimidation, and we refute that", he said. The judge said given Deel's solicitors' response to requests to desist from Mr O'Brien's lawyers of having "no knowledge" of those involved in following him, it "could be interpreted as being economical with the verité (truth)". Advertisement Mr Gardiner replied his side only ascertained the actual position over the weekend. He also said his client was agreeable to not surveilling Mr O'Brien any further, and if he wished that Deel should be a defendant, he should serve papers to that effect. Ms McGrath, for Mr O'Brien, said they would have to consider that as they would need to see what instructions, including text messages, Deel gave to Person B to carry out the surveillance. The judge continued the injunctions and adjourned the matter for a week.
Mint
3 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Most GenZ workers unhappy with salary, 3 in 5 would switch job for better pay. Here's what report reveals
More than half of Gen Z employees across Delhi NCR are unhappy with their salary, mainly due to the higher cost of living, a new study has found. According to a report by global HR and payroll platform Deel, salary dissatisfaction is highest in metro cities. Delhi-NCR is leading with 55 per cent of Gen Z workers unhappy with their pay, followed by Mumbai at 48 per cent and Chennai at 38 per cent. Growing financial strain is a major contributor to the dissatisfaction with salary, the report said. The top reasons attributed to the dissatisfaction include lack of inflation-adjusted pay hikes (21 per cent), below-market compensation (19 per cent), salaries insufficient to cover needs beyond basic expenses (14 per cent) and poor salary growth (13 per cent). Nearly three out of 5, or 69 per cent, Gen Z employees are ready to switch jobs, while 51 per cent would accept a fully remote job with a global company if they get a better salary, the study further found. This trend is particularly high in urban hubs with tech-savvy youth population like Bengaluru (71 per cent), Mumbai (67 per cent) and Chennai (65 per cent). Many Gen Z workers cite a lack of pay parity and stagnant salary growth as reasons for feeling undervalued. Inflation and rising cost of living are other major concerns. The study, conducted between April and May 2025, surveyed 2,508 full-time, white-collar Gen Z professionals (ages 20-28, with 0-3 years of work experience) across seven Indian cities and 10 sectors. Dissatisfaction does not just include salary, according to the study. The report found that as much as 61 per cent Gen Z employees feel that older colleagues are given preferential access to career development opportunities and workplace benefits. Promotions and leadership opportunities, training and development access, and workplace flexibility and perks are among the factors that are contributing to the growing unhappiness.
