HR Glossary
Clear, practical definitions of HR, payroll and compliance terms — from absconding and CTC to EPFO and exit interviews. Written for HR professionals, founders and managers running teams in India.
Popular HR Terms
The terms HR and payroll teams look up most often.
CTC (Cost to Company)
CTC, or Cost to Company, is the total amount an employer spends on an employee annually — encompassing not…
EEarned Leave
Earned Leave (EL), also called Privilege Leave (PL) in some states, is a paid leave category that an employee…
EEmployee Self Service (ESS)
Employee Self Service (ESS) is a feature within an HRMS that allows employees to directly access, view, and…
AApplicant Tracking System (ATS)
An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is HR software that automates and manages the end-to-end recruitment…
EESI (Employee State Insurance)
ESI, or Employee State Insurance, is a self-financing social security and health insurance scheme…
EEmployee Retention
Employee retention refers to an organization's ability to keep its employees over time, minimizing voluntary…
HR Terms Starting with A
17 termsAbsconding
Absconding refers to an employee leaving their job without prior notice, without approval, and without informing the employer — typically without…
Attendance ManagementAbsence Management
Absence management is the systematic process an organization uses to track, monitor, and control employee absences — including planned leave, sick…
Attendance ManagementAbsenteeism Policy
An absenteeism policy is a formal, written HR document that defines what counts as authorized vs. unauthorized absence, the notification process…
Attendance ManagementAccrued Leave
Accrued leave refers to paid leave — typically Earned Leave (EL) or Privilege Leave (PL) — that an employee earns incrementally over a period of…
Leave ManagementAcqui-Hiring
Acqui-hiring — a blend of 'acquisition' and 'hiring' — is when a company acquires another, usually a startup, primarily to gain its talent (founders…
Recruitment & HiringActive Candidate
An active candidate is a job seeker who is actively searching and applying for jobs — updating their resume, browsing job boards, and attending…
Recruitment & HiringAd Hoc
'Ad hoc' (Latin for 'for this') refers to something created or done for a specific, one-time purpose rather than as part of a regular, ongoing…
HR OperationsAgeism
Ageism is discrimination, prejudice, or stereotyping against individuals or groups based on their age. At work, this typically shows up as bias…
Culture & EngagementAgency Recruiters
Agency recruiters, also called third-party or external recruiters, work for a staffing or recruitment agency and are engaged by client companies — on…
Recruitment & HiringAllowance
An allowance is a fixed, monetary component paid by an employer to an employee, in addition to basic salary, to cover specific expenses or as a…
Salary & CompensationAnalytical Thinking
Analytical thinking is the ability to break down complex information, problems, or data into smaller components, identify patterns and relationships…
Skills & DevelopmentAnnuity
An annuity is a financial product that provides a series of regular payments to an individual, typically post-retirement, in exchange for a lump-sum…
Salary & CompensationApplicant
An applicant is any individual who has formally submitted an application — a resume, cover letter, or completed application form — for a specific…
Recruitment & HiringApplicant Tracking System (ATS)
An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is HR software that automates and manages the end-to-end recruitment process — job posting, resume collection…
HR TechnologyApplication Completion Rate
Application Completion Rate is a recruitment marketing metric measuring the percentage of candidates who start a job application and successfully…
Recruitment & HiringAssessment in HR
Assessment, in a broad HR context, refers to any structured process of evaluating an individual's skills, knowledge, competencies, or performance…
Performance ManagementAttendance Regularization
Attendance regularization is the process of correcting or updating attendance records after the fact — typically when an employee forgot to mark…
Attendance ManagementHR Terms Starting with B
8 termsBona Fide Occupational Qualification (BFOQ)
A Bona Fide Occupational Qualification (BFOQ) is a legally defensible job requirement — such as a specific gender, age, or physical characteristic…
Recruitment & HiringBonus
A bonus is an additional payment made to an employee, over and above their regular salary, typically linked to individual, team, or company…
Salary & CompensationBoomerang Employee
A boomerang employee is a former employee who leaves an organization and later returns to work for the same company, often in a different or more…
Recruitment & HiringBradford Formula
The Bradford Formula (also called the Bradford Factor) is a statistical method used in absence management to measure the impact of employee…
Attendance ManagementBring Your Own Device (BYOD)
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) is a workplace policy that allows employees to use their personal smartphones, laptops, or tablets to access company…
HR Policy & LegalBuddy System
A buddy system is a structured onboarding practice where a new employee is paired with an experienced peer — the 'buddy' — who helps them navigate…
Employee ManagementBusiness Agility
Business agility is an organization's ability to sense and respond quickly to internal and external change — market shifts, customer needs…
Workforce Planning & StrategyBusiness Process Outsourcing (BPO)
Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) is the practice of contracting specific business functions or processes — such as customer support, technical…
Workforce Planning & StrategyHR Terms Starting with C
44 termsCalibration
Calibration, in an HR context, is the structured process of bringing managers together to review and discuss employee performance ratings across…
Performance ManagementCampus Hiring
Campus hiring, also called campus recruitment, is the process of recruiting students directly from colleges and universities — typically final-year…
Recruitment & HiringCandidate Engagement
Candidate engagement refers to the ongoing communication and relationship-building efforts a company undertakes with job candidates throughout the…
Recruitment & HiringCandidate Experience
Candidate experience refers to a job applicant's overall perception and feelings about an organization, shaped by every interaction they have…
Recruitment & HiringCandidate Portal
A candidate portal is a self-service online platform that allows job applicants to track their application status, schedule interviews, upload…
HR TechnologyCareer Path
A career path is the planned or potential progression an employee can take through a series of roles within an organization or field, typically…
Skills & DevelopmentCareer Path Ratio
Career Path Ratio is a workforce planning metric that measures the number of potential higher-level positions available relative to the number of…
HR Metrics & AnalyticsCareer Plateau
A career plateau is a stage in an employee's career where they experience little to no advancement in responsibility, title, or scope for an extended…
Skills & DevelopmentCascading Goals
Cascading goals is a goal-setting methodology where high-level organizational objectives are systematically broken down and translated into…
Performance ManagementCasual Leave
Casual Leave (CL) is a short-duration paid leave category intended for unforeseen, urgent personal needs — such as a sudden family matter, personal…
Leave ManagementCasual Leave vs Earned Leave
Casual Leave (CL) and Earned Leave (EL) are two of the most commonly used — and most commonly confused — leave categories in Indian employment.…
Leave ManagementCEO vs COO
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is the highest-ranking executive in a company, responsible for overall strategic direction, major corporate…
Leadership & OrganisationChallan
A challan, in an HR and payroll context, is an official form or document used to make and record a specific statutory payment — such as PF, ESI…
PayrollChief Financial Officer (CFO)
A Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is the senior executive responsible for managing an organization's overall financial strategy, including financial…
Leadership & OrganisationChief Operating Officer (COO)
A Chief Operating Officer (COO) is the senior executive responsible for overseeing an organization's day-to-day administrative and operational…
Leadership & OrganisationChurn Rate
Churn rate, borrowed from customer/business analytics but widely applied in HR, measures the percentage of employees who leave an organization within…
HR Metrics & AnalyticsC-Level Executive
A C-level executive is a top-tier corporate officer responsible for a major functional area of the business, holding company-wide decision-making…
Leadership & OrganisationC-Level Jobs
C-level jobs, also called the C-suite, refer to the most senior executive positions in an organization — roles whose titles conventionally begin with…
Leadership & OrganisationCompa Ratio
Compa ratio (short for 'comparative ratio') is a compensation benchmarking metric that compares an individual employee's actual salary to the…
Salary & CompensationCompany Policy
A company policy is a formally documented set of guidelines, rules, and principles established by an organization to govern employee conduct…
HR Policy & LegalCompensation and Benefits
Compensation and Benefits (C&B) is the HR function responsible for designing, managing, and administering an organization's total rewards package…
Salary & CompensationCompensatory Off (Comp Off)
Compensatory off, commonly called 'comp off,' is paid time off granted to an employee in exchange for working on a designated off day — such as a…
Leave ManagementCompetency
A competency is a measurable combination of knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors that enables an individual to perform effectively in a…
Performance ManagementCompliance Framework
A compliance framework is a structured system of policies, processes, and controls that an organization establishes to ensure it consistently meets…
HR ComplianceCompliance Reports
Compliance reports are formal documents or system-generated outputs that demonstrate an organization's adherence to statutory and regulatory HR…
HR ComplianceConfirmation Letter
A confirmation letter is a formal document issued by an employer to an employee at the successful completion of their probation period, confirming…
Employee ManagementConsolidated Statement
A consolidated statement, in an HR and payroll context, is a summary document that aggregates multiple individual data points — such as salary…
PayrollContingent Worker
A contingent worker is an individual engaged by an organization on a non-permanent basis — typically through a fixed-term contract, staffing agency…
Workforce Planning & StrategyContinuous Feedback
Continuous feedback is a performance management approach where employees receive regular, ongoing feedback from managers and peers throughout the…
Performance ManagementContract Employee
A contract employee is an individual engaged to work for an organization for a fixed period or the duration of a specific project, under a defined…
Employee ManagementContract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act
The Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970 is a central Indian statute that regulates the employment of contract labour in specified…
HR ComplianceCore Values
Core values are the fundamental beliefs and guiding principles that define an organization's character, shape decision-making, and set behavioral…
Culture & EngagementCorporate Communication
Corporate communication is the strategic function responsible for managing an organization's messaging and information flow — both internally to…
Culture & EngagementCorporate Identification Number (CIN)
A Corporate Identification Number (CIN) is a unique 21-digit alphanumeric identifier assigned by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) to every…
HR ComplianceCost Centres
A cost centre is a specific department, function, or unit within an organization to which costs — including workforce-related costs like salaries…
HR Metrics & AnalyticsCost Per Hire
Cost Per Hire (CPH) is a recruitment metric that measures the total average cost an organization incurs to fill a single open position, encompassing…
HR Metrics & AnalyticsCover Letter
A cover letter is a brief, personalized document submitted alongside a resume during a job application, allowing a candidate to introduce themselves…
Recruitment & HiringCredit Voucher
A credit voucher is a financial document or system-generated entry that records an amount owed or credited to an employee's account — commonly used…
PayrollCrisis Management
Crisis management, in an HR context, is the structured process of preparing for, responding to, and recovering from significant, unexpected events…
Leadership & OrganisationCross-Functional Team
A cross-functional team is a group of employees drawn from different departments or functional areas — such as marketing, engineering, sales, and…
Leadership & OrganisationCTC (Cost to Company)
CTC, or Cost to Company, is the total amount an employer spends on an employee annually — encompassing not just the salary the employee actually…
Salary & CompensationCulture Add
Culture add is a hiring philosophy that evaluates whether a candidate will contribute new perspectives, experiences, and ways of thinking that…
Recruitment & HiringCulture Fit
Culture fit refers to how well a candidate's values, behaviors, and working style align with an organization's existing culture, norms, and ways of…
Recruitment & HiringCV vs Resume
A CV (Curriculum Vitae) is a comprehensive document detailing an individual's complete academic and professional history — including education…
Recruitment & HiringHR Terms Starting with D
20 termsData Breach
A data breach is an incident involving unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or loss of sensitive data — in an HR context, this typically…
HR Policy & LegalDearness Allowance (DA)
Dearness Allowance (DA) is a cost-of-living adjustment allowance paid to employees — primarily in government and public sector organizations in India…
Salary & CompensationDecentralization
Decentralization is an organizational design approach where decision-making authority is distributed across various levels and locations within an…
Leadership & OrganisationDeduction in Salary
A deduction in salary refers to any amount subtracted from an employee's gross earnings before arriving at their net take-home pay — encompassing…
PayrollDefamation
Defamation is the act of making a false statement about an individual or entity that damages their reputation — legally categorized as either libel…
HR Policy & LegalDelphi Technique
The Delphi Technique is a structured, iterative method for gathering expert opinion and building consensus on a complex issue — used when direct…
Workforce Planning & StrategyDesk Audit
A desk audit, in an HR context, is a structured review process where an HR professional or job analyst examines an employee's actual day-to-day…
Salary & CompensationDifference Between Gross Income and Net Income
Gross income is the total earnings an individual or business receives before any deductions — for an employee, this means total salary before tax…
PayrollDifference Between Gross Profit and Net Profit
Gross profit is a company's total revenue minus the direct cost of producing its goods or services (Cost of Goods Sold, or COGS) — it reflects how…
HR Metrics & AnalyticsDifference Between Gross Salary and CTC
Gross salary is the total salary an employee earns before statutory deductions like income tax (TDS), employee PF contribution, and Professional Tax…
Salary & CompensationDifference Between Training and Development
Training is a focused, typically short-term learning activity designed to help an employee acquire specific skills or knowledge needed to perform…
Skills & DevelopmentDirect Hire
Direct hire is a recruitment model where a company hires an employee directly as a permanent member of its own workforce, without going through a…
Recruitment & HiringDisciplinary Procedure
A disciplinary procedure is a formal, structured process an organization follows to address employee misconduct or performance issues — ensuring…
HR Policy & LegalDisengaged Employees
Disengaged employees are individuals who have become emotionally and mentally disconnected from their work, their team, and the organization's goals…
Culture & EngagementDisparate Treatment
Disparate treatment refers to intentional discrimination against an individual or group based on a protected characteristic — where an employer…
HR Policy & LegalDiversity Hiring
Diversity hiring is a recruitment approach and strategy focused on actively attracting, evaluating, and hiring candidates from a wide range of…
Recruitment & HiringDownshifting
Downshifting, in a career context, refers to an employee's deliberate choice to move to a less demanding, lower-stress role or reduced working hours…
Culture & EngagementDownsizing
Downsizing is the deliberate, planned reduction of an organization's workforce, typically undertaken to cut costs, improve operational efficiency, or…
HR ComplianceDual Labour Market
The dual labour market theory describes an economy where the workforce is effectively split into two distinct segments: a 'primary' labour market…
Workforce Planning & StrategyDue Diligence
Due diligence is a comprehensive investigation and verification process conducted before finalizing a significant business decision — most commonly a…
HR ComplianceHR Terms Starting with E
38 termsEarned Leave
Earned Leave (EL), also called Privilege Leave (PL) in some states, is a paid leave category that an employee accrues incrementally based on days…
Leave ManagementEarnings
Earnings, in a payroll context, refers to the total monetary amount an employee receives from their employer for work performed — encompassing all…
PayrollECR Return
ECR, or Electronic Challan cum Return, is the monthly return that employers in India must file with the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation…
HR ComplianceEFQM
EFQM (originally standing for the European Foundation for Quality Management) refers to a widely recognized organizational excellence framework and…
Leadership & OrganisationElectronic Signature
An electronic signature (e-signature) is a digital method of signifying agreement or approval on an electronic document, replacing a traditional…
HR TechnologyEmotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence (EI or EQ) is the capacity to recognize, understand, and manage one's own emotions, as well as to recognize, understand, and…
Skills & DevelopmentEmployee Assessment
Employee assessment is the structured process of evaluating an employee's skills, performance, potential, or behavioral competencies — used across…
Performance ManagementEmployee Assistance Program (EAP)
An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a confidential, employer-sponsored benefit that provides employees (and often their immediate family members)…
Culture & EngagementEmployee Branding
Employee branding refers to the process of shaping how current employees perceive, experience, and represent the organization — both internally in…
Culture & EngagementEmployee Clearance Procedure
The employee clearance procedure is the structured, cross-functional process an organization follows to formally close out an employee's tenure…
Employee ManagementEmployee Database
An employee database is a centralized, structured system that stores all relevant information about an organization's workforce — personal details…
HR TechnologyEmployee Empowerment
Employee empowerment is a management philosophy and practice that gives employees greater autonomy, decision-making authority, and ownership over…
Culture & EngagementEmployee Goals
Employee goals are specific, defined objectives that an individual employee is expected to achieve within a set timeframe — typically aligned to…
Performance ManagementEmployee Induction
Employee induction is the initial, typically short-term process of formally introducing a new employee to the organization — covering essential…
Employee ManagementEmployee Job Satisfaction Survey
An employee job satisfaction survey is a structured questionnaire used to measure how content and fulfilled employees feel with various aspects of…
Culture & EngagementEmployee Lifecycle
The employee lifecycle is the complete journey an individual experiences with an organization — from their first interaction as a potential candidate…
Employee ManagementEmployee Net Promoter Score (eNPS)
Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) is a simple, widely-used metric that measures employee loyalty and advocacy by asking a single core question: 'On…
HR Metrics & AnalyticsEmployee Offboarding
Employee offboarding is the structured process an organization follows when an employee's tenure ends — whether through resignation, retirement, or…
Employee ManagementEmployee Onboarding
Employee onboarding is the comprehensive process of integrating a new hire into an organization — extending beyond initial orientation to encompass…
Employee ManagementEmployee Orientation
Employee orientation is the process of introducing a new hire to the fundamental information they need to begin working — company policies, workplace…
Employee ManagementEmployee Poaching
Employee poaching refers to the practice of a company actively recruiting and hiring employees from a competitor organization, often by directly…
HR Policy & LegalEmployee Referral
An employee referral is a recruitment sourcing method where a current employee recommends a candidate from their personal or professional network for…
Recruitment & HiringEmployee Retention
Employee retention refers to an organization's ability to keep its employees over time, minimizing voluntary turnover — particularly the loss of…
Culture & EngagementEmployee Satisfaction
Employee satisfaction refers to how content and fulfilled employees feel with their job, work environment, and overall employment experience — a…
Culture & EngagementEmployee Self Service (ESS)
Employee Self Service (ESS) is a feature within an HRMS that allows employees to directly access, view, and manage their own HR-related information…
HR TechnologyEmployee Termination & Suspension
Employee termination is the formal, employer-initiated ending of an employment relationship — which can occur for reasons including poor performance…
HR Policy & LegalEmployee Turnover
Employee turnover refers to the rate at which employees leave an organization and are replaced by new hires — measuring the overall churn of the…
HR Metrics & AnalyticsEmployee Wellness
Employee wellness refers to an organization's holistic approach to supporting employees' physical, mental, emotional, and financial wellbeing…
Culture & EngagementEmployer Branding
Employer branding is the deliberate, strategic effort an organization undertakes to shape and manage its reputation as an employer — influencing how…
Recruitment & HiringEmployer Identification Number
An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a term primarily used in the United States to refer to a unique number the tax authority assigns to a…
HR ComplianceEmployment Contract
An employment contract (or appointment letter) is a legally binding agreement between an employer and employee that formally establishes the terms…
HR Policy & LegalEPFO
EPFO stands for Employees' Provident Fund Organisation — a statutory body under India's Ministry of Labour and Employment responsible for…
HR ComplianceE-Recruitment
E-recruitment, or electronic recruitment, refers to the use of digital technology and online platforms — job boards, company career pages, social…
Recruitment & HiringERP (Enterprise Resource Planning)
ERP, or Enterprise Resource Planning, is an integrated software system that manages and connects an organization's core business processes…
HR TechnologyESI (Employee State Insurance)
ESI, or Employee State Insurance, is a self-financing social security and health insurance scheme administered by the Employees' State Insurance…
HR ComplianceEx Gratia Payment
An ex gratia payment is a voluntary payment made by an employer to an employee 'out of goodwill' or grace, without any legal obligation to do so…
PayrollExit Interview
An exit interview is a structured conversation or survey conducted with a departing employee, typically during their notice period, to gather honest…
Employee ManagementExternal Stakeholder
An external stakeholder is any individual or entity outside the organization who has an interest in, or is affected by, the organization's decisions…
Leadership & OrganisationHR Terms Starting with F
28 termsFair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is a United States federal law establishing minimum wage, overtime pay eligibility, recordkeeping requirements…
HR ComplianceFIFO in HR
FIFO (First In, First Out) is a principle where the first item or individual to enter a process is also the first to be handled, processed, or exit…
Recruitment & HiringFinancial Incentives
Financial incentives are monetary rewards offered to employees, beyond their base salary, to motivate specific behaviors or reward achievement of…
Salary & CompensationFinancial Year
A financial year (FY), also called a fiscal year, is the 12-month period used by governments and organizations for accounting, budgeting, and tax…
PayrollFive Factor Model (FFM) in the Workplace
The Five Factor Model (FFM), also known as the 'Big Five' personality model, is a widely researched framework for understanding human personality…
Culture & EngagementFixed Pay
Fixed pay is the guaranteed, consistent portion of an employee's total compensation that doesn't fluctuate based on performance, sales results, or…
Salary & CompensationFixed-Term vs Permanent Employment Contract
A fixed-term employment contract is an agreement where an employee is hired for a specific, predetermined period or until completion of a defined…
HR Policy & LegalFlexible Benefit
A Flexible Benefit Plan (FBP) is a compensation structuring approach that allows employees to allocate a designated portion of their CTC across…
Salary & CompensationFloating Holiday
A floating holiday (also referred to as a restricted holiday in India) is a flexible day off that an employee can choose to take on a date of their…
Leave ManagementForm 12BA
Form 12BA is a statutory statement, prescribed under the Income Tax Act, 1961, that provides a detailed breakup of perquisites, other fringe…
HR ComplianceForm 12BB
Form 12BB is a statement that salaried employees submit to their employer, declaring details of their tax-saving investments, expenses, and claims…
HR ComplianceForm 15G
Form 15G is a self-declaration form that individuals below 60 years of age (and Hindu Undivided Families) can submit to request that no TDS (Tax…
HR ComplianceForm 15H
Form 15H is a self-declaration form specifically for senior citizens (aged 60 years or above) that requests exemption from TDS deduction on interest…
HR ComplianceForm 16
Form 16 is a certificate issued annually by an employer to its employees, certifying the total salary paid and the tax deducted at source (TDS) on…
HR ComplianceForm 16A
Form 16A is a TDS certificate issued for tax deducted at source on income other than salary — such as professional fees, rent, interest income, or…
HR ComplianceForm 16B
Form 16B is a TDS certificate specifically issued for tax deducted at source on the sale of immovable property, generated by the buyer of the…
HR ComplianceForm 24G
Form 24G is a statement that government deductors and collectors (Pay and Accounts Offices or similar government treasury units) must file, providing…
HR ComplianceForm 24Q
Form 24Q is the quarterly TDS return that employers must file with the Income Tax Department, reporting the tax deducted at source on salary payments…
HR ComplianceForm 26AS
Form 26AS is a consolidated annual tax statement, accessible through the Income Tax Department's e-filing portal, that shows all tax credited against…
HR ComplianceForm 26QB
Form 26QB is a combined challan-cum-statement that a property buyer must file to deposit TDS deducted on the purchase of immovable property valued at…
HR ComplianceForm 27
Form 27 is a statement historically used for reporting TDS deducted on payments made to non-residents (other than salary), such as royalty, interest…
HR ComplianceForm 27C
Form 27C is a declaration form that a buyer can submit to a seller to claim exemption from Tax Collected at Source (TCS) on the purchase of specified…
HR ComplianceForm 49B
Form 49B is the prescribed application form used to apply for a Tax Deduction and Collection Account Number (TAN) — the unique identification number…
HR ComplianceForm 64A
Form 64A is a statutory statement that a business trust (such as a Real Estate Investment Trust or Infrastructure Investment Trust) is required to…
HR ComplianceForm I-9
Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, is a mandatory United States federal form that employers must use to verify the identity and legal…
HR ComplianceFormal Communication
Formal communication refers to official, structured communication that follows an organization's established hierarchy, protocols, and channels…
Culture & EngagementFull and Final Settlement (FnF)
Full and Final Settlement (FnF) is the process of calculating and paying an employee's final dues upon their exit from an organization — encompassing…
PayrollFurlough
A furlough is a temporary, employer-mandated leave of absence — often unpaid or partially paid — during which an employee remains formally employed…
Leave ManagementHR Terms Starting with G
13 termsGender Divide
Gender divide refers to the measurable gaps between men and women in workplace representation, opportunity, compensation, and advancement…
Culture & EngagementGender Expression
Gender expression refers to how an individual outwardly presents their gender — through appearance, clothing, hairstyle, behavior, voice, and…
Culture & EngagementGender Identity
Gender identity refers to an individual's deeply-felt, internal sense of their own gender, which may align with or differ from the sex they were…
Culture & EngagementGender Wage Gap
The gender wage gap refers to the measurable difference in average earnings between men and women, typically expressed as a percentage — reflecting…
HR Metrics & AnalyticsGhosting
Ghosting refers to a sudden, unexplained cessation of communication during the recruitment process — either by a candidate who stops responding after…
Recruitment & HiringGig Economy
The gig economy refers to a labour market characterized by short-term, flexible, project-based work arrangements — freelancing, platform-based work…
Workforce Planning & StrategyGoal Setting
Goal setting is the structured process of defining specific, intended outcomes an individual, team, or organization aims to achieve within a set…
Performance ManagementGrapevine Communication
Grapevine communication refers to the informal, unofficial network through which information — including rumors, gossip, and unverified news…
Culture & EngagementGratuity
Gratuity is a statutory, lump-sum monetary benefit paid by an employer to an employee as a token of appreciation for continuous long-term service…
Salary & CompensationGrievance
A grievance is a formal expression of employee dissatisfaction or complaint regarding workplace conditions, treatment, policy application, or any…
HR Policy & LegalGross Misconduct
Gross misconduct refers to serious employee behavior or actions that fundamentally breach the trust and terms of the employment relationship — severe…
HR Policy & LegalGross Salary
Gross salary is the total salary earned by an employee before any statutory deductions — such as income tax (TDS), employee Provident Fund…
Salary & CompensationGroup Interview
A group interview is an interview format where multiple candidates are assessed simultaneously, often through group discussions, collaborative…
Recruitment & HiringHR Terms Starting with H
20 termsHarvard Model of HRM
The Harvard Model of HRM is a foundational strategic human resource management framework, developed at Harvard Business School, that positions HR as…
Leadership & OrganisationHCM (Human Capital Management)
Human Capital Management (HCM) refers to the comprehensive, strategic approach to managing an organization's workforce as a valuable asset…
HR TechnologyHeadhunter
A headhunter is a specialized recruitment professional or firm engaged to proactively identify, approach, and recruit specific, often passive…
Recruitment & HiringHierarchy of Needs
The Hierarchy of Needs, developed by psychologist Abraham Maslow, is a motivational theory proposing that human needs exist in a five-level…
Culture & EngagementHire Report
A hire report is a structured document or dashboard that summarizes recruitment activity and outcomes over a specific period — tracking metrics like…
HR Metrics & AnalyticsHiring Manager
A hiring manager is the individual — typically the direct supervisor for the open role — who owns the decision to hire for a specific position…
Recruitment & HiringHiring Process
The hiring process is the complete, end-to-end sequence of steps an organization follows to identify a staffing need, source and evaluate candidates…
Recruitment & HiringHiring Strategy
A hiring strategy is an organization's overarching, deliberate approach to attracting, evaluating, and selecting talent — aligning recruitment…
Recruitment & HiringHiring Workflow
A hiring workflow is the specific, often system-configured sequence of operational steps, approvals, and status transitions that a candidate moves…
Recruitment & HiringHoliday Calendar
A holiday calendar is a formally published, annual document listing all the paid holidays an organization observes during a given year — typically…
Leave ManagementHolidays
Holidays, in an HR context, refer to designated non-working days — typically national, religious, or festival occasions — during which employees are…
Leave ManagementHostile Work Environment
A hostile work environment refers to a workplace where an employee experiences persistent, severe, or pervasive unwelcome conduct — such as…
HR Policy & LegalHR Audit
An HR audit is a systematic review and evaluation of an organization's HR policies, procedures, documentation, and compliance status — designed to…
HR ComplianceHR Business Partner (HRBP)
An HR Business Partner (HRBP) is an HR professional who works closely and strategically with a specific business unit or department leadership…
Leadership & OrganisationHR Compliance
HR compliance refers to an organization's adherence to the full range of applicable labour laws, statutory regulations, and employment-related legal…
HR ComplianceHR Manager / Generalist
An HR Manager or HR Generalist is an HR professional responsible for handling a broad range of HR functions — recruitment, onboarding, employee…
Leadership & OrganisationHRA (House Rent Allowance)
House Rent Allowance (HRA) is a salary component paid by an employer to help an employee cover their rental accommodation expenses, offering partial…
Salary & CompensationHRIS Software
HRIS (Human Resource Information System) software is the foundational technology platform that stores, manages, and organizes an organization's core…
HR TechnologyHuman Resource Outsourcing (HRO)
Human Resource Outsourcing (HRO) refers to the practice of engaging an external third-party provider to handle specific HR functions or processes…
Workforce Planning & StrategyHuman Resources (HR)
Human Resources (HR) refers to both the department within an organization responsible for managing the employee lifecycle, and the broader function…
HR OperationsHR Terms Starting with I
15 termsInclusion
Inclusion refers to creating a workplace environment where every employee — regardless of background, identity, or perspective — feels genuinely…
Culture & EngagementInclusive Workforce
An inclusive workforce is one where employees from diverse backgrounds — across gender, disability status, socio-economic background, region, and…
Culture & EngagementIn-House Talent
In-house talent refers to employees who are developed, trained, and grown within an organization to fill specific skill needs or leadership roles, as…
Workforce Planning & StrategyInMail
InMail is a LinkedIn messaging feature that allows users, particularly recruiters with a Recruiter or Premium account, to send direct messages to…
Recruitment & HiringInternal Communication
Internal communication refers to the flow of information, messaging, and dialogue within an organization — encompassing top-down communication from…
Culture & EngagementInternal Hiring
Internal hiring refers to filling an open position by promoting or transferring an existing employee into the role, rather than sourcing candidates…
Recruitment & HiringInternal Job
An internal job refers to an open position within an organization that is specifically posted for or made available to existing employees to apply…
Recruitment & HiringInternship
An internship is a structured, typically short-term work opportunity offered to students or recent graduates, providing practical work experience in…
Recruitment & HiringInterview Panel
An interview panel is a group of two or more interviewers who jointly assess a candidate during the recruitment process — either interviewing…
Recruitment & HiringInterview Scheduling
Interview scheduling is the operational process of coordinating and confirming interview times between candidates and interview panel members…
Recruitment & HiringISO 9000
ISO 9000 is a family of international quality management standards, developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), that…
HR ComplianceISO 9004
ISO 9004 is a guidance standard within the ISO 9000 family, focused on helping organizations achieve sustained, long-term success through a broader…
HR ComplianceIT Declaration
An IT (Income Tax) declaration is a statement an employee submits to their employer at the start of a financial year, providing estimated details of…
PayrollIT Recruiter
An IT recruiter is a talent acquisition professional who specializes in sourcing, screening, and hiring candidates for technology roles — including…
Recruitment & HiringITR (Income Tax Return)
ITR, or Income Tax Return, is the formal statement an individual or entity files with the Income Tax Department, declaring their total income earned…
HR ComplianceHR Terms Starting with J
12 termsJob Board
A job board is an online platform where employers post open job vacancies and candidates search and apply for roles — serving as one of the primary…
Recruitment & HiringJob Description vs Job Specification
A job description is a document that outlines the duties, responsibilities, and scope of a specific role — describing what the job entails, including…
Recruitment & HiringJob Dissatisfaction
Job dissatisfaction refers to a negative emotional state where an employee feels unhappy, unfulfilled, or frustrated with their job — encompassing…
Culture & EngagementJob Enlargement
Job enlargement is a job design strategy that expands an employee's role horizontally by adding more tasks or responsibilities of a similar skill…
Employee ManagementJob Enrichment
Job enrichment is a job design strategy that vertically expands a role by adding greater autonomy, responsibility, and decision-making authority…
Employee ManagementJob Hopping
Job hopping refers to a pattern of frequently changing jobs over relatively short tenures — typically staying in each role for less than 1-2 years…
Recruitment & HiringJob Posting
A job posting is the publicly published advertisement for an open position — typically shared on job boards, company career pages, and social media…
Recruitment & HiringJob Requisition
A job requisition is the formal internal request and approval document that authorizes HR/recruitment to begin actively hiring for a specific open…
Recruitment & HiringJob Responsibilities
Job responsibilities are the specific duties, tasks, and outcomes an employee is expected to own and deliver within their role — forming a core…
Employee ManagementJob Role
A job role refers to the actual function, responsibilities, and contribution an individual performs within an organization — describing what the…
Employee ManagementJob Title
A job title is the formal, official name assigned to a specific position within an organization — used to indicate the role's function, level of…
Employee ManagementJournal Voucher
A journal voucher is an accounting document used to record a financial transaction that doesn't pass through standard cash, bank, or purchase/sales…
PayrollHR Terms Starting with K
4 termsKanban
Kanban is a visual workflow management method, originally developed within Toyota's manufacturing system, that uses a board with columns representing…
Performance ManagementKPI in HR
A KPI (Key Performance Indicator) is a specific, measurable metric used to evaluate the effectiveness and success of HR functions and initiatives…
HR Metrics & AnalyticsKRA
KRA stands for Key Result Area — the broad, defined areas of responsibility within a role where an employee is expected to focus effort and deliver…
Performance ManagementKSA (Knowledge, Skills & Abilities)
KSA stands for Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities — a framework used to define and assess the qualifications required for a specific job…
Skills & DevelopmentHR Terms Starting with L
16 termsLabor Union
A labor union (or trade union) is an organized association of employees formed to collectively represent workers' interests — negotiating with…
HR Policy & LegalLabour Welfare Fund (LWF)
The Labour Welfare Fund (LWF) is a state-level statutory fund, contributed to by both employer and employee, used to finance welfare activities for…
HR ComplianceLateral Hiring
Lateral hiring refers to recruiting experienced professionals from other organizations to fill a role — bringing in candidates who already possess…
Recruitment & HiringLateral Move
A lateral move is a job change — either within the same organization (internal transfer) or to a new organization — to a role at a similar level of…
Employee ManagementLateral Recruitment
Lateral recruitment refers to the process of hiring experienced professionals from external organizations into similar or equivalent roles — the…
Recruitment & HiringLayoff
Under Indian labour law, specifically the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, a 'layoff' has a precise legal meaning: the failure, refusal, or inability…
HR ComplianceLearning Management System (LMS)
A Learning Management System (LMS) is software that enables organizations to create, deliver, track, and manage employee training and development…
HR TechnologyLeave Balance
Leave balance refers to the total amount of unused, available leave an employee currently has across various leave categories (Earned Leave, Casual…
Leave ManagementLeave Encashment
Leave encashment is the process of converting an employee's unused accrued leave (typically Earned Leave) into a monetary payment — commonly…
Leave ManagementLeave Travel Allowance (LTA)
Leave Travel Allowance (LTA) is a salary component provided by employers to cover an employee's travel expenses incurred while on leave, within India…
Salary & CompensationLeave Without Pay (LWP)
Leave Without Pay (LWP), also referred to as Loss of Pay (LOP), is a category of leave taken by an employee when they have exhausted their available…
Leave ManagementLeave Year
A leave year is the 12-month period an organization uses to define and track employee leave entitlement, accrual, carry-forward, and lapse — which…
Leave ManagementLegal Entity
A legal entity is a distinct, legally recognized organization — such as a company, LLP, or partnership — that can enter into contracts, own assets…
HR ComplianceLIFO (Last In, First Out)
LIFO, or Last In, First Out, is a principle sometimes applied during layoffs or retrenchment, where employees who joined the organization most…
HR ComplianceLOP Reversal
LOP (Loss of Pay) reversal is the process of correcting or reversing a previously applied salary deduction that was made due to an employee being…
PayrollLoss of Pay (LOP)
Loss of Pay (LOP), also referred to as Leave Without Pay, is the deduction applied to an employee's salary for days of authorized absence beyond…
PayrollHR Terms Starting with M
13 termsManagement by Objectives (MBO)
Management by Objectives (MBO) is a strategic management approach, popularized by Peter Drucker, where managers and employees jointly define, agree…
Performance ManagementManagement Training
Management training refers to structured learning and development programs designed to build the skills and competencies needed to effectively lead…
Skills & DevelopmentMarginal Relief
Marginal relief is a provision under the Income Tax Act that prevents an individual's tax liability (or surcharge) from increasing disproportionately…
PayrollMaternity Benefit
Maternity benefit refers to the statutory entitlements provided to a woman employee during pregnancy and after childbirth — including paid leave…
Leave ManagementMaternity Leave
Maternity leave is the specific period of paid time off from work that a woman employee is entitled to take around the time of childbirth — the leave…
Leave ManagementMean Wage
Mean wage refers to the average wage or salary across a defined group of employees — calculated by summing all individual wages within the group and…
HR Metrics & AnalyticsMedical Leave
Medical leave, often used interchangeably with Sick Leave, is paid time off granted to an employee who is unable to work due to illness, injury, or a…
Leave ManagementMindfulness at Work
Mindfulness at work refers to the practice of maintaining focused, non-judgmental awareness of the present moment during work activities — helping…
Culture & EngagementMinimum Wage
Minimum wage is the legally mandated lowest wage an employer must pay to a worker for their labour, designed to ensure a basic standard of living and…
HR ComplianceMinimum Wages Act
The Minimum Wages Act, 1948 is a central Indian statute enacted to prevent the exploitation of labour by mandating minimum wage payment for certain…
HR ComplianceMinority Business Enterprise
A Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) is a business that is majority-owned, managed, and controlled by individuals from historically underrepresented…
HR Policy & LegalMock Interview
A mock interview is a simulated, practice interview conducted to help a candidate — often a fresher, career changer, or someone preparing for a…
Recruitment & HiringMuster Roll
A muster roll is a formal, statutory attendance register that records the daily presence, absence, and working hours of employees or workers at an…
Attendance ManagementHR Terms Starting with N
7 termsNet Pay
Net pay, commonly called take-home salary, is the actual amount of money an employee receives in their bank account after all applicable deductions…
PayrollNet Salary
Net salary, used synonymously with net pay or take-home salary, refers to the final amount an employee receives after all statutory and voluntary…
Salary & CompensationNominal Group Technique
Nominal Group Technique (NGT) is a structured group decision-making method that combines individual idea generation with group discussion and ranking…
Workforce Planning & StrategyNon-Taxable Allowance
A non-taxable allowance is a salary component that is either fully or partially exempt from income tax under specific provisions of the Income Tax…
Salary & CompensationNotice Period
A notice period is the duration of time an employee must continue working after formally resigning (or an employer must provide after issuing…
HR Policy & LegalNotice Period Buyout
Notice period buyout is the process of an employee securing an early release from their contractual notice period obligation by compensating the…
HR Policy & LegalNPS (National Pension System)
The National Pension System (NPS) is a voluntary, government-regulated, defined-contribution retirement savings scheme, administered by the Pension…
Salary & CompensationHR Terms Starting with O
16 termsObjective Cycle
An objective cycle is the defined time period over which organizational, team, and individual goals or objectives are set, tracked, and reviewed…
Performance ManagementOffer Acceptance
Offer acceptance refers to a candidate's formal agreement to join an organization after receiving a job offer — marking the successful conclusion of…
Recruitment & HiringOffer Management
Offer management is the structured process of preparing, approving, extending, negotiating, and tracking job offers to candidates — ensuring…
Recruitment & HiringOffshoring
Offshoring refers to the practice of relocating business operations or processes to a different country — typically to take advantage of lower labour…
Workforce Planning & StrategyOKR (Objectives & Key Results)
OKR (Objectives and Key Results) is a goal-setting framework that pairs a qualitative, ambitious Objective with a small set of specific, measurable…
Performance ManagementOne-on-One Meeting
A one-on-one meeting (often called a '1:1') is a regularly scheduled, private conversation between a manager and their direct report, focused on…
Performance ManagementOral Reprimand
An oral reprimand (also called a verbal warning) is the initial, typically least severe step in a progressive disciplinary process — a spoken…
HR Policy & LegalOrganisation Structure
Organisation structure refers to the formal system that defines how tasks, roles, authority, and reporting relationships are arranged within a…
Leadership & OrganisationOrganisational Change
Organisational change refers to any significant shift in an organization's structure, strategy, processes, culture, or technology — ranging from a…
Leadership & OrganisationOrganization in Management
Organization, as a core management function, refers to the process of arranging resources — people, tasks, and authority relationships — into a…
Leadership & OrganisationOrganization Tree
An organization tree, commonly called an org chart, is a visual diagram representing an organization's reporting structure — showing roles, reporting…
Leadership & OrganisationOrganizational Development
Organizational Development (OD) is a planned, systematic approach to improving an organization's overall effectiveness — encompassing structure…
Leadership & OrganisationOrganizational Teams
Organizational teams are groups of individuals within a company who work together toward shared goals — structured based on function, project, or…
Leadership & OrganisationOutsourcing
Outsourcing is the business practice of contracting a specific function, process, or task to a third-party external provider, rather than performing…
Workforce Planning & StrategyOutsourcing Payroll
Payroll outsourcing is the practice of engaging a specialized third-party provider to manage some or all aspects of an organization's payroll…
PayrollOvertime
Overtime refers to work performed by an employee beyond their standard scheduled working hours — typically compensated at a premium rate, as mandated…
PayrollHR Terms Starting with P
32 termsPaid Days
Paid days refer to the total number of days within a payroll cycle for which an employee is entitled to receive salary — encompassing days actually…
Attendance ManagementPaid Leave
Paid leave refers to any category of authorized time off from work during which an employee continues to receive their regular salary — encompassing…
Leave ManagementPartial Payments
Partial payments, in a payroll context, refer to situations where an employee receives only a portion of their full entitled salary for a given…
PayrollPassive Candidates
Passive candidates are individuals who are currently employed and not actively searching for a new job, but who might consider a strong opportunity…
Recruitment & HiringPay Band
A pay band (or salary band) is a defined salary range — with a minimum, midpoint, and maximum — assigned to a specific job level or grade within an…
Salary & CompensationPay Grade
A pay grade is a classification level within an organization's compensation structure, grouping roles of similar value, complexity, and seniority…
Salary & CompensationPay Register
A pay register is a comprehensive payroll record maintained by an employer, documenting detailed salary information for all employees for each pay…
PayrollPayroll Accounting
Payroll accounting is the process of recording, tracking, and reporting all financial transactions related to employee compensation — including gross…
PayrollPayroll Reconciliation
Payroll reconciliation is the process of verifying and cross-checking payroll data — comparing processed payroll figures against source data like…
PayrollPayslip Format
A payslip (or salary slip) is a document an employer provides to an employee each pay period, itemizing their earnings, deductions, and net pay…
PayrollPeer Appraisal
Peer appraisal is a performance evaluation method where colleagues at a similar organizational level assess each other's performance, contributions…
Performance ManagementPeers
Peers, in a workplace context, refer to colleagues who work at a similar organizational level — without a direct reporting relationship between them…
Culture & EngagementPeer-to-Peer Review
Peer-to-peer review refers to the broader practice of colleagues providing feedback and assessment to one another — encompassing both formal…
Performance ManagementPeople Analytics
People analytics (also called HR analytics or workforce analytics) is the practice of using data analysis techniques — ranging from basic reporting…
HR Metrics & AnalyticsPeople Operations
People Operations (often shortened to 'People Ops') is a modern, often tech-industry-influenced term for the HR function, generally emphasizing a…
HR OperationsPerformance Appraisal
Performance appraisal is the systematic, periodic process of evaluating an employee's job performance and contribution against defined expectations…
Performance ManagementPerformance Bands
Performance bands are defined categories or tiers used to classify employee performance ratings — such as 'Exceeds Expectations,' 'Meets…
Performance ManagementPerformance Improvement
Performance improvement refers to the deliberate, structured effort to help an individual employee, team, or organization enhance their work output…
Performance ManagementPerquisites (Perks)
Perquisites, commonly called perks, are non-cash benefits or facilities provided by an employer to an employee, in addition to regular salary — such…
Salary & CompensationPink Slip
A pink slip is a colloquial term for a formal termination or layoff notice — informing an employee that their employment has ended, typically due to…
HR CompliancePIP (Performance Improvement Plan)
A Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) is a formal, structured document outlining specific performance gaps an employee needs to address, clear…
Performance ManagementPre-Boarding
Pre-boarding refers to the activities and engagement an organization undertakes with a new hire during the period between their formal offer…
Employee ManagementPre-Employment Testing
Pre-employment testing refers to standardized assessments administered to candidates during the hiring process — before a final hiring decision — to…
Recruitment & HiringPre-Screening
Pre-screening is the initial evaluation stage in the recruitment process where recruiters quickly assess applications or conduct brief conversations…
Recruitment & HiringPresent Days
Present days refer specifically to the number of days within a given period that an employee was physically or remotely at work and marked as present…
Attendance ManagementProbation Period
A probation period is an initial phase of employment during which both the employer and employee assess mutual fit — the employer evaluating the new…
Employee ManagementProfessional Fees
Professional fees refer to payments made to an individual or entity for rendering specialized, professional services — such as consulting, legal…
PayrollProfessional Tax
Professional Tax is a state-level tax levied on individuals earning an income through employment, profession, trade, or calling — deducted directly…
HR CompliancePromotion
A promotion is the advancement of an employee to a higher-level position within an organization — typically involving increased responsibility…
Performance ManagementProvident Fund (PF)
Provident Fund (PF), formally the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF), is a mandatory retirement savings scheme in India where both the employee and…
HR CompliancePurple Squirrel
A 'purple squirrel' is recruitment industry slang for an idealized job candidate who possesses an extremely specific, often unrealistic combination…
Recruitment & HiringPurple Unicorn
A 'purple unicorn,' much like the closely related term 'purple squirrel,' is recruitment slang describing an exceptionally rare, ideal candidate who…
Recruitment & HiringHR Terms Starting with Q
3 termsQualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO)
A Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) is a legal order, primarily used in the United States, that recognizes a spouse, former spouse, child, or…
HR Policy & LegalQuality Management
Quality management is a systematic approach organizations use to ensure their products, services, and processes consistently meet defined standards…
HR OperationsQuality of Hire
Quality of hire is a recruitment metric that measures the overall value a new employee brings to the organization — typically assessed through…
HR Metrics & AnalyticsHR Terms Starting with R
19 termsRating Scale
A rating scale is a structured measurement tool used in performance appraisal and assessment to quantify or categorize an employee's performance…
Performance ManagementReasonable Person Standard
The reasonable person standard is a legal and evaluative benchmark used to assess whether specific conduct or behavior would be considered offensive…
HR Policy & LegalReconciliation
Reconciliation, in an HR context, refers to the process of comparing and verifying data across different sources or systems to ensure accuracy and…
PayrollRecruitment Funnel Effectiveness
Recruitment funnel effectiveness measures how efficiently candidates progress through each stage of the hiring process — from initial application…
HR Metrics & AnalyticsRecruitment Metrics
Recruitment metrics are quantifiable measures used to evaluate the efficiency, cost, and effectiveness of an organization's hiring process…
HR Metrics & AnalyticsRecruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO)
Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) is a business model where an organization outsources some or all of its recruitment function to a specialized…
Recruitment & HiringReduction in Force (RIF)
Reduction in Force (RIF) is a business term, more commonly used in Western (particularly US) corporate contexts, referring to a permanent elimination…
HR ComplianceReference Check
A reference check is a verification process where a prospective employer contacts a candidate's previous employers, managers, or professional…
Recruitment & HiringReimbursement
Reimbursement is the repayment made by an employer to an employee for actual, verified expenses incurred on the company's behalf — such as travel…
PayrollRejection
Rejection, in a recruitment context, refers to the decision and communication informing a candidate that they have not been selected for a role they…
Recruitment & HiringRemote Interviews
Remote interviews are job interviews conducted virtually — via video conferencing, phone, or other digital platforms — rather than requiring…
Recruitment & HiringRemuneration
Remuneration refers to the total monetary payment an employee receives in exchange for their work — encompassing salary, wages, bonuses, and other…
Salary & CompensationRequest for Proposal (RFP)
A Request for Proposal (RFP) is a formal document an organization issues to solicit competitive bids and proposals from potential vendors or service…
Workforce Planning & StrategyRequisition in HR
A requisition in HR is a formal internal request initiating a specific HR action — most commonly a job requisition to begin recruitment for an open…
Recruitment & HiringRestricted Holidays
Restricted holidays are optional holidays from a predefined list — typically covering various regional and religious festivals — from which an…
Leave ManagementReverse Mentoring
Reverse mentoring is a mentoring model where a junior or younger employee mentors a more senior colleague — typically sharing knowledge on areas like…
Skills & DevelopmentReview Cycle
A review cycle is the defined, recurring time period over which an organization formally evaluates employee performance — determining when goals are…
Performance ManagementRight to Manage
'Right to manage' is a principle in industrial relations affirming an employer's fundamental prerogative to make core business decisions — such as…
HR Policy & LegalRoster Management
Roster management is the process of planning, creating, and maintaining employee work schedules — particularly relevant for shift-based operations…
Attendance ManagementHR Terms Starting with S
15 termsSabbatical Leave
Sabbatical leave is an extended period of authorized leave — typically ranging from a few weeks to several months or even a year — granted to an…
Leave ManagementSalary Revision
Salary revision refers to the process of adjusting an employee's compensation — typically an increase, though it can also involve restructuring…
Salary & CompensationSick Leave
Sick leave (SL) is a paid leave category specifically granted to employees who are unable to work due to illness or medical condition, allowing them…
Leave ManagementSituational Leadership
Situational leadership is a leadership theory, developed by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard, proposing that effective leaders adapt their leadership…
Leadership & OrganisationSkill Gap
A skill gap refers to the difference between the skills an employee or organization currently possesses and the skills required to meet current or…
Skills & DevelopmentSocial HR
Social HR refers to the practice of using social media platforms and social, collaborative technology approaches — familiar interfaces, feeds, likes…
HR TechnologySocial Recruitment
Social recruitment is the practice of using social media platforms to source, attract, and engage job candidates — leveraging the reach, targeting…
Recruitment & HiringSoftware as a Service (SaaS)
Software as a Service (SaaS) is a software delivery model where applications are hosted by the provider and accessed by users over the internet…
HR TechnologyStaffing
Staffing is the core HR function of ensuring an organization has the right number of people, with the right skills, in the right roles at the right…
Workforce Planning & StrategyStrategic HRM
Strategic Human Resource Management (Strategic HRM) is an approach to managing an organization's workforce that deliberately aligns HR policies…
Workforce Planning & StrategyStrategic Planning
Strategic planning is the systematic process an organization uses to define its long-term direction, set major goals and priorities, and determine…
Workforce Planning & StrategySuccession Planning
Succession planning is the systematic process of identifying and developing internal talent to fill key leadership and critical roles when they…
Workforce Planning & StrategySummary Dismissal
Summary dismissal is the immediate termination of an employee's employment without notice or pay in lieu of notice — reserved for cases of serious…
HR Policy & LegalSystem Changeover
A system changeover, in an HR context, refers to the process of transitioning from an existing HR system or software (such as a legacy HRMS…
HR TechnologySystemic Discrimination
Systemic discrimination refers to patterns of disadvantage embedded within an organization's policies, practices, or culture that disproportionately…
HR Policy & LegalHR Terms Starting with T
13 termsTalent Acquisition
Talent acquisition is the strategic, ongoing process of identifying, attracting, and hiring skilled individuals to meet an organization's long-term…
Recruitment & HiringTalent Management
Talent management is the comprehensive, end-to-end process of attracting, developing, engaging, and retaining high-performing and high-potential…
Workforce Planning & StrategyTangible Rewards
Tangible rewards are physical, monetary, or material benefits provided to employees in recognition of performance or as part of their overall…
Culture & EngagementTax
Tax is a mandatory financial charge levied by the government on income, transactions, or property, used to fund public services and government…
HR ComplianceTaxable Income
Taxable income is the portion of an individual's total income that is subject to income tax, after accounting for applicable exemptions and…
PayrollTDS (Tax Deducted at Source)
TDS, or Tax Deducted at Source, is a mechanism under the Income Tax Act, 1961 requiring the payer (in this case, the employer) to deduct tax at the…
HR ComplianceTeam Building
Team building refers to activities and initiatives designed to strengthen relationships, improve collaboration, and build trust among team members…
Culture & EngagementTotal Compensation
Total compensation refers to the complete value of everything an employee receives in exchange for their work — encompassing base salary, variable…
Salary & CompensationTotal Quality Management (TQM)
Total Quality Management (TQM) is a comprehensive, organization-wide management philosophy focused on continuous improvement of quality across all…
HR OperationsTraining and Development
Training and development is the broader HR function encompassing all activities designed to enhance employee skills, knowledge, and capabilities…
Skills & DevelopmentTraining Need Analysis (TNA)
Training Need Analysis (TNA) is a systematic process of identifying gaps between an organization's or individual's current capabilities and the…
Skills & DevelopmentTransformational Leadership
Transformational leadership is a leadership style characterized by inspiring and motivating employees toward a shared vision, fostering innovation…
Leadership & OrganisationTypes of Leaves in India
Indian employees are typically entitled to several distinct categories of leave, each governed by different rules regarding accrual, carry-forward…
Leave ManagementHR Terms Starting with U
1 termHR Terms Starting with V
3 termsVariable Pay
Variable pay is the portion of an employee's total compensation that fluctuates based on individual, team, or company performance — as opposed to…
Salary & CompensationVirtual HR
Virtual HR refers to the delivery of HR services and functions remotely, using digital tools and platforms rather than requiring in-person, physical…
HR TechnologyVoluntary Benefits
Voluntary benefits are non-statutory, discretionary perks and benefits that an employer chooses to offer employees beyond what's legally mandated…
Salary & CompensationHR Terms Starting with W
7 termsWage Drift
Wage drift refers to the gradual, often unplanned increase in actual average wages paid within an organization, beyond what was formally negotiated…
HR Metrics & AnalyticsWeek Off
A week off (or weekly off) is a mandatory, paid rest day granted to an employee once a week, ensuring adequate rest from work — a statutory…
Attendance ManagementWorkforce Management
Workforce management is the comprehensive set of processes an organization uses to optimize employee productivity and ensure adequate staffing…
Workforce Planning & StrategyWorkforce Planning
Workforce planning is the strategic process of forecasting an organization's future talent needs — in terms of headcount, skills, and organizational…
Workforce Planning & StrategyWork-Life Balance
Work-life balance refers to an individual's ability to effectively manage and find satisfaction across both their professional responsibilities and…
Culture & EngagementWorkplace Bullying
Workplace bullying refers to repeated, unreasonable behavior directed at an employee or group of employees — such as intimidation, humiliation…
HR Policy & LegalWrongful Termination
Wrongful termination refers to an employer ending an employee's employment in violation of legal requirements, contractual terms, or established due…
HR Policy & LegalNo matching terms yet
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