HCL Technologies, in its report for the third quarter of FY26, revealed a slight decline in its workforce. The company also revealed that it added 2,852 freshers in the quarter.
The company saw an overall decrease of 261 employees in Q3 FY26, with a final workforce count of 2,26,379, as per a statement released on January 12, 2026. Given the addition of freshers, the decrease shows that the company’s workforce is being shaped by attrition and selective rationalisation rather than a broad-based hiring slowdown.
In Q2 FY26, HCL had added 3,489 employees to its workforce, which had declined by 269 employees in Q1 FY26. In the September quarter, the company had onboarded 5,196 freshers. For Q3, the entry-level hiring remained intact, and the overall headcount has been moderated through exits and targeted adjustments.
Voluntary attrition in HCL has declined to 12.4% on a last-twelve-month basis. Last year, it had stood at 13.2% a year earlier, indicating an increase in employee satisfaction. HCL’s stable workforce numbers are in contrast with moves made by companies in the industry. TCS saw a decrease of over 11,000 employees in Q3 FY26, a stark contrast when compared to HCL’s numbers.
