Wipro announced a new policy mandating employees to work from the office at least three days a week, effective September 2, 2024. This shift, aimed at enhancing in-office collaboration post-pandemic, includes a day’s leave deduction for non-compliance. This move aligns with a broader trend among Indian IT firms, including Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and LTIMindtree, to tighten office attendance policies as they balance employee flexibility with the need for in-person interaction.
Bangalore, India | September 16, 2024 – Wipro, a leading global IT services company, has implemented a new policy mandating its employees to work from the office at least three days a week. The policy, which became effective from September 2, 2024, aims to realign employee work habits post-pandemic and encourage in-office collaboration. Employees who do not adhere to the guidelines will face a day’s leave deduction for each missed office day.
This shift marks a significant tightening of Wipro’s previous work-from-home policy and highlights a growing trend among Indian IT companies to return to more traditional work environments.
Why Wipro is Mandating a Return to Office
Wipro’s decision follows similar moves by other Indian IT giants like TCS and LTIMindtree, which have linked employee office attendance to benefits such as leave or variable pay
During the pandemic, Wipro had relaxed its in-office attendance policies to prioritize employee well-being. However, with increasing demand for in-person collaboration, the company now aims to strike a balance between flexibility and office-based interaction, according to an internal email shared with employees.
Industry-Wide Shift in the Indian IT Sector
Indian IT firms are adjusting their workforce policies in response to a changing work environment. For example:
- Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) requires employees to be present in the office five days a week, linking variable pay to attendance.
- LTIMindtree introduced its “Rhythm” policy in early September 2024, penalizing employees by deducting 1.5 days of leave per month for attendance violations.
The Impact of Hybrid Work on Employee Preferences
The pandemic sparked widespread adoption of remote work, with many employees embracing the flexibility and work-life balance it offered. A 2023 report by Forbes revealed that 71% of remote workers in the US believed remote work improved their work-life balance, while in India, approximately 12% of the workforce now works remotely
As hybrid models become the norm, companies like Wipro are grappling with how to maintain productivity while accommodating employee preferences.
Wipro’s New Attendance Policy: What Employees Need to Know
As of September 2024, Wipro employees must attend the office for a minimum of three days per week. Failure to comply with this requirement will result in the loss of a day’s leave. Furthermore, the company’s HR department has been instructed to deny any work-from-home requests, even for projects that were previously approved for remote work.
Wipro’s move underscores a broader industry trend toward returning employees to the office to foster collaboration and innovation. According to Wipro, this policy shift is not company-wide but applies to specific projects based on client requirements
A Shift Towards Office-Based Work Across the IT Sector
This trend is not exclusive to Wipro. Other IT firms have also tightened their work-from-office policies:
- Infosys introduced a similar three-day office attendance rule earlier in 2024.
- TCS, meanwhile, has gone further, requiring a five-day work week for all its employees.
As companies strive to navigate the post-pandemic work environment, striking a balance between employee flexibility and business needs remains a key focus.
