In a bid to strengthen its employee productivity, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has rolled out a new policy for its associates effective June 12, 2025.
As per the new policy, TCS has restricted the bench period of its associates to a maximum of 35 days a year. The guideline, communicated internally and reviewed by The Times of India, highlights the company’s shift to a more aggressive worktime management.
The bench period usually refers to when an employee is not assigned to a specific project. During this time, employees might be engaged in reskilling, transition, or redeployment.
With the new regulation in effect, TCS associates must clock at least 225 billed business days annually. This policy, according to the company, has been implemented as a time utilisation strategy to balance organisational priorities and individual performance metrics.
The policy also states that the associates can not work from home during their bench period. Any associate not part of a billed project now needs to come to the office, highlighting the company’s aim to increase accountability and ensure engagement in structured upskilling programmes.
Moreover, employees are mandated to be a part of at least one upskilling initiative during the bench period. Through structured internal learning modules, certifications, or involvement in internal projects, TCS wants to ensure that associates are prepared for rapid deployment when new client opportunities arise.
TCS is now shifting towards longer, more stable client engagements, discouraging multiple short-term project allocations. Overall, the new policy regarding the bench period aims to increase work efficiency, reduce churn in delivery cycles, and combat the ups and downs of the global market.