TCS New Bench Policy Caps Annual Bench Period To 35 Days: What It Means for Employees

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Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has introduced a revised associate deployment policy that restricts bench time to a maximum of 35 business days
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has introduced a revised associate deployment policy that restricts bench time to a maximum of 35 business days per year, requiring employees to be deployed for at least 225 billed days annually. Effective June 12, the new rule aims to enhance workforce utilisation and align individual contributions with organisational goals, according to an internal document reviewed by The Times of India.
The update, communicated by Chandrasekaran Ramkumar, global head of TCS's Resource Management Group (RMG), stresses that prolonged unallocated periods could negatively affect compensation, career growth, international postings, and even continued employment with the company.
Associates not currently assigned to projects are expected to proactively engage with RMG to find new opportunities. While on the bench, they must dedicate 4 to 6 hours daily to upskilling through platforms such as iEvolve, Fresco Play, VLS, and LinkedIn, complete mandatory training, and use the company's Gen AI interview coach to improve readiness.
To facilitate faster deployment, physical office presence is now mandatory. Work-from-home or flexible arrangements are generally discouraged, except under exceptional circumstances with prior RMG approval.
Earlier in January, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) revised its work-from-office (WFO) policy, introducing stricter norms for requesting exceptions. According to a company communication cited by The Times of India, employees in India can now cite personal emergencies for a maximum of six WFO exceptions per quarter. However, unused exception days cannot be carried forward to the next quarter.
To address logistical challenges like space constraints, TCS has also allowed employees to submit up to 30 exception days in a single request, offering greater flexibility in planning short-term remote work.
Additionally, TCS has warned against frequent short-term project allocations, noting that such patterns could lead to HR investigations and disciplinary action.
First Published:
June 17, 2025, 12:27 IST

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