TCS hits pre-pandemic work attendance levels after 18 months
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), India's largest IT services exporter, has reached pre-pandemic levels of employees working from offices. The company's Chief of Human Resources, Milind Lakkad, said this level was achieved after 18 months of efforts. "We actually have come to the point where we believe we are coming back to almost the same levels as we were pre-pandemic times," Lakkad told PTI. He declared that it is now "business as usual" for TCS, which employs over 600,000 people globally.
TCS not to monitor office work levels closely
Lakkad revealed that TCS will not be closely monitoring the metric of employees working from offices in the upcoming quarters. The number of employees working from offices five days a week is reportedly higher than the previously announced 70%, although no specific figure was provided. This comes after pandemic-induced lockdowns forced the entire IT industry's staff to work from home, posing challenges for companies valuing office work for team building, mentoring, and culture deepening aspects.
Slight decrease in female employees
TCS reported a slight decrease in female employees, with the percentage standing at 35.5% as of June this year. However, Lakkad stated that this is not a concern for the company. He added that TCS has had flexible policies and measures in place since before the pandemic to cater to employees' needs. Lakkad declined to provide specific answers when asked about hiring plans for the fiscal year 2024-25 and whether there would be net positive hiring.
Emphasizing governance and ethics amid controversy
In the midst of national controversy regarding the integrity of professional examinations, Lakkad emphasized that focus on governance and ethics must continue. He suggested that technology could provide solutions to prevent system manipulation through assessments and background verifications. Lakkad clarified that involuntary attrition is not a core part of TCS's HR strategy, stating it only occurs when there are skill mismatches or productivity issues over time.
TCS unconcerned about talent availability
Responding to the State Bank of India (SBI)'s disclosure that 80% of its fresh hires are qualified engineers, Lakkad stated that TCS has no concerns about talent availability. He cited the large number of engineers India produces annually as a reason for this confidence. Lakkad also mentioned that while TCS aims to expand utilization as a key metric to grow profit margins, it will not "take it to the brim" and will maintain sufficient bench strength.
