Off the Bench and Into the Trenches: IT Giants Slash Idle Time, Fuel Fresh Ambitions

India's biggest IT firms are overhauling their manpower strategies, reducing the amount of time their staff spend "on the bench"—unassigned between assignments—to keep costs under control and be responsive to a slowing global technology environment. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has led the charge, reducing bench time to just 35 days, a sharp drop from 45–60 days prevalent in 2020–21.

 

Key Points:

 

TCS now insists that staff must secure a project within 35 days of being sat out, or else risk facing disciplinary action, including dismissal.

 

Other competitors like HCL and Cognizant are also tightening bench policies, with a few laying off employees not sent in two months.

 

The emphasis has been on redeployment of skills, upskilling, and temporary labor, with organizations utilizing the existing workforce usage prior to hiring new personnel.

 

These are the changes as the Indian IT industry experiences its weakest growth in years with clients eliminating discretionary spending and canceling projects at short notice.

 

While bench strength overall is weaker, those who are sitting out are more anxious and looking elsewhere, a sign of a more taut and uncertain labor market.

 

Prospects: With automation by AI and cost pressures piling up, India's IT giants are likely to continue to squeeze out idle time and prioritize agility. Though this boosts efficiency, it also indicates a tougher world for tech professionals, with the necessity for continuous learning and adaptability to stay in the game.

 

Source: The Hindu Business Line