Come To Office Or No Leaves: HCLTech Introduces Attendance-Linked Leave Policy

Last week, C Vijayakumar, CEO and MD of HCLTech, stated that, unlike its larger rival, the firm currently has no intention to tie variable compensation to employees' presence in the office

HCLTech, India's third-largest software exporter, is reportedly introducing a new policy that ties employee leave entitlement to their office attendance. This initiative is part of efforts to transition to a three-day work-from-office schedule as companies strive to reintegrate employees into campus settings post-pandemic.

HCLTech has asked employees to be present in the office for three days each week and at least 12 days per month. Failure to meet these requirements will result in deductions from their leave balances for each day of absence, according to a Moneycontol report citing sources.

This policy change follows the company's shift to a hybrid work model five months ago, which mandated employees to return to the office three days a week. “HR has started communicating this update to some teams from this week onwards over emails and this is already effective. Once our leaves are over, this could lead to loss of pay,” said an employee in the report.

According to the report, currently, HCLTech employees with less than three years of tenure are entitled to 18 annual leaves and one personal leave. Those with more than three years of tenure receive approximately 20 yearly and two personal leaves.

“Our hybrid work policy provides flexibility where people in middle and senior level management follow any 3-days a week work from office arrangement which supports collaboration. All other employees follow the working arrangements as necessary to meet the client commitments, and these are planned by the respective managers,” an HCLTech spokesperson told the publication.

In an interview last week, C Vijayakumar, CEO and MD of HCLTech, stated that, unlike its larger rival, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the IT services major currently has no intention to tie variable compensation to employees' presence in the office. “Return to office continues to increase, and it varies from business line to business line. Some business lines, we're able to comfortably work remotely. And for some business lines, we think getting people back to work is the right strategy,” Vijayakumar said.