US-based IT giant, Cognizant, has conveyed its expectation for employees in India to work from the office a minimum of three days a week, marking a significant move away from the prevalent work-from-home trend prompted by the pandemic. While the company emphasizes improved collaboration and a stronger connection to the company culture, employees express concerns about reduced flexibility and work-life balance.
Cognizant, a prominent IT firm headquartered in the United States, has communicated its intent for employees in India to adopt a hybrid work model, requiring a presence in the office at least three days a week. The decision aligns with other industry leaders signaling the conclusion of widespread remote work necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Company Background:
Cognizant, founded in 1994, boasts a vast global presence and has emerged as a major player in the IT services sector. With over 254,000 of its approximately 347,700 employees based in India, it stands as the company’s largest employee base.
In a recent memo, Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar S outlined the company’s expectation for all India associates to be physically present in the office at least three days a week, highlighting the importance of in-person collaboration for activities such as collaborative projects, training, and team building. The memo did not specify the effective date of this transition.
Cognizant’s move follows similar directives from Indian IT peers such as Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, and Wipro, which mandated employees to return to the office in 2023, with TCS even implementing a five-days-a-week schedule. Industry experts view this shift as positive for operating margins, anticipating improved productivity and utilization levels.
Cognizant plans to introduce a new hybrid-work scheduling app for its India operations to facilitate managers in coordinating schedules and reserving office space for their teams. The firm envisions the hybrid model as the future of work and expresses a commitment to expanding into Tier-2 cities across India.
Conclusion:
Cognizant’s decision to transition to a hybrid work model, balancing office and remote work, reflects a broader industry trend as companies seek to strike a balance between the benefits of in-person collaboration and the flexibility of remote work. The move is expected to have a positive impact on operating margins and workforce productivity in the coming quarters.
