Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), India’s largest software exporter by workforce, revenue and profit, has clarified it has no plans to reduce campus or lateral hiring in 2023-24 despite reports suggesting otherwise. However, TCS indicated its hiring cycles could mirror evolving demand patterns rather than following standardized volumes.
CEO K Krithivasan said while early green shoots are visible already, medium term optimism warrants nurturing talent pipelines further. With over 6 lakh staff currently, TCS needs additional hands to service more work, he asserted. But admittedly, alignment with customer needs is paramount.
Phasing Critical as Uncertainty Persists
Krithivasan suggested that while net hiring targets won’t diminish, adjusting the phases of recruitment could become necessary amid fluid economic cross-currents that technology firms navigate. TCS’ Q3 results also mirrored the dichotomy between strong domestic demand but overseas headwinds.
This delicate balance calls for judicious alignment of human capital supply with demand forecasts that remain prone to macro shifts beyond ITs control, even though tech spends stay non-discretionary. Hence, pragmatic planning is vital.
CEO Bats for Office-First Culture
The TCS chief also strongly backed return to physical workspaces for better individual and organizational outcomes. With 30-40% of TCS’ workforce joining remotely during the pandemic, absence of in-person immersion risks culture erosion he warned, despite adequate tech infrastructure for remote work.
Equally, critical thinking abilities key to delivering customer excellence cannot be replaced by AI tools that provide mostly assistance so far, Krithivasan emphasized. Thus policies urging office-first work hold significance for India’s IT bellwether.
