TCS denies strict warning to employees in return-to-office policy

Tata Consultancy Services clarified that it had not linked career or compensation to its return-to-office policy, following reports of memos being sent to employees

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has denied claims that it issued strict warnings to employees regarding their compliance with their return-to-office policy. 

A TCS spokesperson responded to the reports, telling NDTV that while the company has encouraged employees to work from the office for three days a week, it has not communicated any career or compensation implications for non-compliance. 

The denial came in light of an article published by the Times of India (TOI), which stated that TCS had started sending memos to employees who did not complete a minimum of 12 days of office work per month.

According to the TOI report, the memo warned of potential disciplinary action against employees who fail to follow the rostered office attendance. In response, the TCS spokesperson emphasised the company's excitement to see its campuses bustling with energy and expressed the desire for all employees to be part of that vibrant ecosystem. 

They, reportedly, highlighted the importance of experiencing the TCS environment for collaboration, learning, growth, and fostering a stronger sense of belonging to the organisation.

The spokesperson further explained that TCS has been actively encouraging associates in India to return to the office for three days a week, which has yielded positive results with many employees already complying. The objective is to have all associates working from the office for an average of at least three days per week in a month. However, no connections have been made between office attendance and career advancement or compensation.

Last year, TCS announced its decision not to allow employees to work entirely remotely due to the Covid-19 pandemic. They had communicated through emails that employees should work from the office for three days a week. 

As per TCS's model, not more than 25 per cent of employees will need to be present in the office at any given time, depending on project requirements. The company views this as a phased transition from its Secure Borderless Workspaces (SBWS), started in May 2020,  to a more hybrid model, enabling most employees to work from the office for a certain number of days each week.