Wipro Tightens Hybrid Work Norms, Mandates At Least 6 Hours a Day in Office

IT major Wipro has tightened its hybrid work rules, making it clearer and stricter about how much time employees need to spend in the office, signalling a broader shift across India’s IT sector on remote working.

The company now requires employees to spend at least six hours in the office on each of their mandatory office days, according to a report by The Economic Times. While Wipro has long followed a three-days-a-week work-from-office system, it earlier allowed more flexibility in how long employees stayed in office. The new rule measures office time from the first “in” punch to the final “out” punch, removing that flexibility.

The updated policy came into effect on January 1. Wipro, which employs around 2.34 lakh people globally, has also linked attendance more closely to leave balances. As per the report, employees who do not meet the weekly office requirement could see days deducted from their leave. Spending less than six hours in the office on a required day may lead to a half-day leave cut.

However, Wipro has reportedly clarified that the six-hour rule applies only to physical presence in the office. The company has not changed its total daily working time, which remains 9.5 hours. Employees are expected to complete the remaining hours from home on the same day.

The company has also slightly reduced the number of days employees can work fully remotely on a temporary basis. This allowance has been cut to 12 days per year from the earlier 15 days a year. These days can be used for reasons such as illness, self-care, or taking care of family members.

In an internal email announcing the changes, Wipro said it expects employees to follow the policy “in both letter and spirit,” noting that the hybrid model is meant to improve teamwork while still offering some flexibility, the report added. However, Wipro has not yet officially commented on the update.

The timing of the move is important. India’s $283-billion IT services industry is facing slower growth as AI is reportedly reducing the need for large teams. At the same time, tighter project deadlines are pushing companies to bring employees back together for better coordination.

Wipro is not alone as TCS has already moved to a five-day office work model, linking attendance to variable pay. Additionally, Infosys uses automated systems to ensure employees meet minimum office attendance requirements.