ARS Insights, November 2025. Practical research thinking for business owners, in plain language.
1. Four labour codes took effect on 21 November
The government brought all four labour codes into force on 21 November 2025: Wages, Industrial Relations, Social Security, and Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions. Together they replace 29 earlier labour laws. Reports on the change list these points: appointment letters for all workers, minimum wage coverage for every worker with a national floor wage, fixed-term employees getting gratuity after one year, women allowed to work night shifts with safety measures, one licence, one registration and one return for employers, free yearly health check-ups for workers above 40, and legal recognition for gig and platform workers.
2. What it means for a small business
Why it matters: Most small firms have a mix of permanent staff, fixed-term staff, contract workers and helpers. The new rules treat each group differently, so the cost of the change depends on your own mix.
What to measure: headcount by type of worker, payroll cost per head, and the time your team spends on registrations and returns today. Please confirm the details with a labour-law adviser before changing contracts.
3. One question for your business this month
If your payroll cost per head rose by a few percent, which of your prices or services would you adjust first? Testing customer reaction to a small price change is a classic research question.
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ARS Market Research Services Pvt. Ltd., Chennai. arsmrs.in
Sources: EY and KPMG alerts on the implementation of the labour codes (November 2025); Adda247 Current Affairs summary.