Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has reportedly issued a new policy for employees on the bench, as part of its updated associate deployment framework. The policy, effective from June 12, was introduced by Chandrasekaran Ramkumar, Global Head of the Resource Management Group (RMG).
According to a Times of India report, the new policy mandates that employees must be billed for at least 225 business days annually, effectively capping bench time at a maximum of 35 business days each year.
"At any given point in time, associates must be allocated for a minimum of 225 business days in the last 12 months. Long periods of remaining unallocated shall adversely impact associate compensation, career growth, avenues for overseas deployment in the future, and continuity of employment with the organisation," the document stated, as per the TOI report.
What Happens If Employees Don't Comply?
At TCS, the Resource Management Group (RMG) oversees workforce deployment, ensuring that employees with the right skills are matched to suitable projects. The aim is to maximise organisational utilisation by keeping associates optimally engaged.
Under the new internal policy, it is primarily the associate’s responsibility to actively engage with the Unit or Regional RMG when unallocated and to pursue available opportunities. Associates who are released to the RMG and are awaiting new assignments are classified as unallocated.
TCS mandates that unallocated employees spend 4–6 hours daily on upskilling through platforms like iEvolve, Fresco Play, VLS, and LinkedIn. They must also complete all mandatory training, attend in-person sessions as advised, use tools like the Gen AI Interview Coach, and act on feedback from past interviews to remain job-ready.
To enable quicker deployment, physical presence in the office has also been made mandatory. Flexible work arrangements will be allowed only in exceptional cases and require prior RMG approval. TCS has also discouraged frequent short-term project assignments, cautioning that such practices could lead to HR scrutiny and disciplinary action.
IT Companies Shorten Bench Times
This development comes as India’s top IT services companies—including Infosys, Wipro, HCLTech, and others—have also reduced bench time for their employees. According to a Moneycontrol report from March, average bench time at IT services firms has dropped to 35–45 days, compared to 45–60 days in FY21.
Citing TeamLease data, the report also notes that bench sizes have shrunk to 2–5% of overall headcount, down from 10–15% earlier. Employee utilisation rates have improved to around 80–85%, while attrition has come down to 11–13%.
In response to cost pressures and evolving business models, firms are now favouring leaner, project-specific hiring strategies. Tier-I firms like TCS maintain a lateral bench but are aiming for faster deployment amid slower deal closures and increasing AI-led disruption.
