In a move that signals a stricter stance on internal workforce management, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has rolled out a new deployment policy that limits the bench period to a maximum of 35 business days per year. Effective from 12 June 2025, the policy aims to optimise employee productivity and align with evolving business needs.
The new guidelines, communicated internally and reviewed by TOI, reflect a significant cultural shift within India’s largest IT services provider. Traditionally, the “bench” period—when employees are not actively assigned to client projects—served as a buffer for reskilling, transition, or redeployment. TCS’s updated framework now imposes one of the most aggressive caps on unallocated time seen in the Indian IT industry.
According to the new policy, TCS associates must clock at least 225 billed business days annually, leaving only a narrow window for time off the project grid. The change is positioned by the company as a utilisation-driven strategy—one that balances both organisational priorities and individual performance metrics.
Perhaps most notably, the policy enforces a mandatory work-from-office (WFO) requirement for those on the bench. Associates who are not currently staffed on billable projects will no longer be permitted to work remotely. This marks a clear departure from the hybrid and remote-friendly work culture adopted by TCS and other IT majors during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
By mandating physical presence, TCS is likely aiming to increase accountability and ensure engagement in structured upskilling programmes—another core component of the new deployment model.
Employees who remain unallocated during this 35-day period are required to engage in mandatory upskilling initiatives. These include structured internal learning modules, certifications, or involvement in internal projects, ensuring that associates are prepared for rapid deployment when new client opportunities arise.
The company has also discouraged multiple short-term project allocations, suggesting a shift toward longer, more stable client engagements. This policy is intended to bring greater predictability and reduce churn in delivery cycles, especially amid a volatile global business environment.
TCS’s move comes against the backdrop of an industry grappling with tightening client budgets, sluggish deal cycles, and mounting pressure on margins. As global economic uncertainty continues to affect IT spending, companies are recalibrating their strategies—moving away from large-scale hiring and instead focusing on internal agility, skill alignment, and better resource utilisation.
With a global workforce of over 600,000 employees, TCS has typically steered clear of widespread layoffs, opting instead to manage headcount through performance filtering and internal redeployment. The new policy appears consistent with this approach—driving utilisation without formal job cuts.