TCS Clarifies On Work From Office Policy For All Employees

Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. has clarified its work-from-office policy after reports surfaced that India's largest private employer has started pulling up staff for not adhering to the norms.

"Our objective is to have all associates work from the office for at least three days a week on average in the month, and towards the same, we continue working with all our groups to have everyone participate," the Mumbai-based IT services firm said in a statement.

"For now, we have not communicated or deployed linkages to career or compensation."

On Wednesday, The Times of India reported that TCS has started sending memos to employees who are not completing at least 12 days of work-from-office in a month. "You are warned and directed to start reporting to work from your office location as per the assigned roster with immediate effect," stated the memo, a copy of which was seen by TOI.

When contacted for comment, a TCS spokesperson said the IT firm has been encouraging associates in India for the past several months to return to the office and spend at least three days at the workplace.

"A significant number of employees have joined TCS in the last two years," according to a statement from the company. "It's important for them to experience the TCS environment to collaborate, learn, grow, and also have fun together, thus developing a stronger sense of belonging to the organisation and enabling better integration."

The Covid-19 pandemic and the consequent lockdowns to minimise the risk of contagion had stalled all but essential activity in the country, forcing everyone to work from home for nearly two years. Now that things are back to normal, companies want employees to work from home for at least a few days a week—in the so-called hybrid work format.

As of March 31, Tata Consultancy Services employed a total of 592,195 people, with the majority of them operating out of India.