Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has implemented a strict 35-day bench policy, limiting how long employees can remain without a project. After 35 days, they risk career stagnation or even termination. The policy, introduced on June 12, has sparked widespread anxiety among employees—especially freshers and those facing project mismatch or location constraints.
Employee Reaction
- Thousands of employees are scrambling to get deployed.
- Reddit forums are flooded with complaints of pressure, mismatched roles, and lack of support.
- Some allege they’re being forced into irrelevant projects just to meet the deadline.
- NITES, an employee welfare body, has called the policy “inhumane and exploitative”, urging government intervention.
Industry Context
- On average, 15–18% of IT employees are on the bench.
- With AI automating repetitive work and a macroeconomic slowdown, companies face margin pressure.
- Experts suggest skill gaps, location mismatches, and resistance to upskilling are all contributing to larger benches.
What Experts Say
- This could be a precursor to layoffs across the IT industry.
- Companies are moving toward skill-based performance evaluations over tenure.
- AI is forcing firms to reskill or replace underutilised resources.
- Firms like HCL are also seeing margin hits due to bench overflow.
Key Takeaway
TCS’ move reflects a broader industry shift: productivity, agility, and AI-readiness are becoming non-negotiable. While the policy is seen as harsh, it signals a new era of performance-driven employment where relevance trumps seniority.
