IT cos double down on work from office amid AI disruption

Leading information-technology (IT) companies are slowly but steadily tightening work-from-office rules, marking a clear shift back to pre-pandemic modes of operation amid artificial intelligence (AI)-led disruption and global uncertainty.

- AVIK DAS

A slowing growth environment and shorter project life cycles in the age of AI, experts say, are prompting firms to double down on physical office presence and proximity to clients.

The latest move comes from Wipro, which has mandated that employees spend at least six hours in the office on days they attend. Wipro employees are already required to come in three days a week, and the revised policy adds a penalty: Half a day's leave will be deducted if the mandatory hours are not clocked.

Earlier, in 2024, Tata Consultancy Services scrapped its work-from-home policy, making daily office attendance compulsory and linking quarterly variable pay to physical presence. Infosys, meanwhile, asked employees above job level 5 last year to mandatorily work from the office for at least 10 days a month.