Work-Life Balance In Focus As Infosys, TCS, Genpact Revise Workplace Policies

The long-standing issue of work-life balance in India’s technology and services sector is once again in focus as major IT companies realign their policies in ways that are raising concerns among employees.

From stricter remote monitoring to revised deployment policies, companies such as Infosys, Genpact and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) have introduced measures that reflect evolving workplace expectations and operational priorities.

Infosys has introduced a system to track the working hours of remote employees as part of what it describes as an effort to support work-life balance. Employees now receive automated emails if they exceed prescribed work hours. These notifications outline the number of remote workdays, hours logged and average daily working time.

Under the company's existing policy, employees are expected to work nine hours and 15 minutes each day, five days a week. Any duration beyond this, especially while working remotely, is flagged. According to an Economic Times report, the move is part of a broader push by Infosys, which employs over 3,23,500 people globally, to enforce its return-to-office mandate introduced in November 2023. As per this mandate, employees are required to be in office for at least 10 days each month.

Infosys’ publicly available Code of Conduct notes, "If you believe that you have been discriminated against, harassed, or have not been given equal opportunities at work, you are encouraged to submit a complaint."

According to a recent report in The Hindu, Genpact's move to implement a 10-hour workday was panned by some employees and HR professionals, who expressed concerns about its impact on workplace culture.

At one of Genpact’s offices in Hyderabad, an employee described the change as challenging. "I used to log in at noon and wrap up by 9 p.m., and even that was exhausting. Now, with the new policy, I'll have to start at 11 a.m.," the employee was quoted as saying.

Under the revised system, employee productivity is assessed using an internal portal that monitors active work hours each day. Those who meet the required hours can earn up to 500 points monthly, equivalent to Rs 3,000. An additional 5% incentive is offered for time logged beyond the standard, amounting to around Rs 150 in some cases.

In June, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) rolled out a new policy requiring a minimum of 225 billed business days annually for every employee, reducing the permitted bench time to just 35 days per year, as per the ET report. This policy is intended to improve overall workforce utilisation rates and align individual output with broader company goals. Additionally, employees are expected to dedicate four to six hours each day to learning platforms such as iEvolve, Fresco Play and LinkedIn Learning for skill development.

The company has also done away with the most flexible work options, making physical presence at the office mandatory. The All India IT and ITeS Employees’ Union (AIITEU) has voiced opposition to this move, calling it an “anti-worker policy” and alleging that the intention is to reduce headcount by increasing performance pressure.

These developments come at a time when global firms are experimenting with four-day workweeks and flexible arrangements to promote better work-life integration. The Indian experience, though, remains more complex. A March 2025 survey by New York-based Vertex Group across five Indian states found that 52% employees reported burnout linked to poor work-life balance.