Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), is facing mounting criticism from the All India IT & ITeS Employees’ Union (AIITEU) over its newly introduced associate deployment policy.
The policy mandates that employees must be billable for at least 225 days annually, effectively capping bench time—the period employees are not assigned to client projects—at 35 days per year.
The union has labeled the move as an “anti-worker policy” and a covert attempt at downsizing under the guise of performance management.
TCS Policy Overview: What Has Changed?
The updated policy, rolled out on June 12, 2025, by TCS’s Resource Management Group (RMG), shifts the responsibility of project allocation from the company to the employees themselves.
TCS now expects associates to proactively seek assignments, engage with RMG, and stay project-ready throughout the year.
Failure to meet the 225-day billing threshold could result in career stagnation, pay cuts, loss of overseas opportunities, or even termination.
TCS requires employees on the bench to complete 4–6 hours of daily training on platforms like iEvolve, Fresco Play, and LinkedIn Learning.
They must also use TCS’s Gen AI interview coach to prepare for mock interviews.
Additionally, work-from-office is now the default, with remote work permitted only in emergencies and subject to RMG approval.
Union Response: “Anti-Worker and Unfair”
The AIITEU has strongly opposed the policy, calling it unfair to employees.
They argue that it shifts the responsibility of deployment from the employer to the individual worker.
“TCS has hired me, and it is their responsibility to deploy us on projects,” said one employee anonymously.
The union argues that the policy acts as a stealth mechanism to justify Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) and quiet exits.
The current period of macroeconomic uncertainty and sluggish industry growth has heightened this concern.
In a public statement, AIITEU said, “The RMG of TCS is known to be responsible for ensuring adequate billability of the employees.”
They added, “This policy is an attempt to shift accountability and intensify exploitation under the pretext of performance.”
Employee Concerns: Lack of Transparency and Support
Employees have raised concerns about the lack of real-time visibility into available projects.
They also pointed out the inequity faced by freshers and those without strong internal networks, which hampers fair deployment opportunities.
“The portal isn’t updated in real time. Those with better connections get deployed faster, while others are left behind,” said another employee.
The policy also discourages frequent short-term project allocations, flagging such patterns as “disruptive” and potentially subject to HR investigation.
This has added to the anxiety among associates who rely on short-term gigs to remain billable.
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