Infosys has introduced significant changes to its hybrid work model to bring more employees back to its office premises. From March 10, 2025, employees are mandated to work from the office for at least 10 days each month. While the new policy aims to foster collaboration and team cohesion, it could raise concerns about work-life balance and employee morale, especially for those accustomed to a flexible remote setup. To ensure adherence, Infosys has introduced system interventions, such as capping the number of work-from-home days employees can request and integrating attendance-tracking mechanisms into workplace tools. For example, the system may automatically decline excessive work-from-home requests or generate compliance reports for team managers, thereby standardizing the enforcement of the new rules.
New Policies on Attendance
Employees at Infosys currently use a mobile application to manage and record their attendance. Until now, working-from-home requests were readily approved with minimal scrutiny. However, this new policy introduces stricter controls, such as a mandatory approval process and periodic attendance reviews, ensuring that attendance targets are consistently met by all employees.
In cases where employees fall short of the required 10 days in-office by one or two days, the balance is deducted from their leave quota. However, Infosys considers the possibility of exceptions or appeals for employees unable to meet these targets due to unforeseen circumstances, highlighting a measured approach to compliance with the hybrid model.
Who Does This Impact?
The mandate primarily applies to employees at job level 5 (JL5) and below, including roles like team leaders, software engineers, senior engineers, system engineers, and consultants. Higher job levels, such as managers and senior delivery managers (JL6 and above), are currently exempt from this requirement, as their responsibilities typically focus more on strategic oversight and decision-making rather than operational tasks. However, the hybrid work principle applies to all employees, ensuring flexibility is determined by their teams and specific business needs.
Communication to Teams
According to the Economic Times, Infosys shared an internal email with employees explaining the rationale behind the new mandate. The communication emphasized the importance of flexibility while maintaining compliance with the hybrid model policies. It noted that the restrictions applied are designed to support broader business goals of improving collaborative efficiency.
The email further announced the implementation of system-driven interventions, beginning March 10, 2025, to regulate work-from-home requests. The company clarified that team leaders would be responsible for ensuring department-wide adherence.
Comparative Industry Practices
Infosys is not the only major IT company revising its remote work policies. Rival TCS tied quarterly variable payouts to office attendance in 2024, making employees with less than 60% attendance ineligible for bonuses. Meanwhile, Wipro mandated office presence three days a week for its employees. These moves illustrate a broader trend within the Indian IT sector to increase in-office presence. It would be worth analyzing whether such policy shifts have resulted in tangible improvements in business operation efficiency, as data or reports could offer valuable insights.
Additional Note:
Hybrid work adjustments are becoming an important topic in IT companies globally. Companies are balancing between leveraging the flexibility and benefits of remote work and fostering an environment for innovation and collaboration that often thrives in in-office setups.
FAQs
Q1: What is the new attendance mandate for Infosys employees?
Employees are required to work from the office for at least 10 days per month starting March 10, 2025.
Q2: Will failing to meet the target affect an employee’s leave balance?
Yes, if an employee falls short by one or two days, these days will be deducted from their leave balance.
Q3: Are senior-level managers included in this policy?
No, the latest mandate primarily applies to employees at job level 5 (JL5) and below.
Q4: What is the overarching motivation for this policy?
The policy aims to balance flexibility with business goals, fostering better collaboration and efficiency at the workplace while ensuring a minimum campus presence.
Q5: How does Infosys compare to other IT firms in terms of remote work policies?
Infosys joins TCS and Wipro in moving towards stricter in-office mandates, illustrating an industry-wide shift towards hybrid models favoring more office time.
This new set of rules signals Infosys’s drive to align hybrid working with its operational goals, ensuring a balance between flexibility for employees and effective collaboration.
