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TCS employees have less time to upskill with the return to office

By Nagasunder in Employment News, posted June 15, 2023

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has been urging its employees to return to the office at least three days a week, which has yielded benefits for the company.

However, this move has also resulted in two adverse consequences.

Firstly, there has been a rise in attrition among women, as reported by TOI, citing the company's HR head, Milind Lakkad.

Secondly, there has been a significant decline in the average learning hours per employee, according to TCS's annual report.

The average learning hours decreased from 121 in FY22 to 82 in FY23.

While the company did not provide a specific explanation for this decline, some employees mentioned they are still adjusting to the new lifestyle that involves commuting to the office.

A mid-level employee at TCS said: "Productivity is hampered because we lose a lot of time in the commute, which could have otherwise been devoted to completing some course."

Aditya Mishra, CEO of staffing services firm CIEL HR, said as the world gradually returns to office spaces, employees have had to adapt their routines and allocate time for commuting.

Among mid-level employees at TCS, the average learning hours dropped to 40 in FY23, down from about 50 in the previous year.

Although up to 90 percent of mid-level employees at TCS participated in the mid-level training program, only 60 percent of them have been certified in "relevant market technologies," as stated in the company's annual report.

For junior employees, the average learning hours declined to approximately 100 in FY23, compared to over 140 hours in the previous year.

In the case of senior employees, the annual report reveals that the average learning hours were 77 for men and 91 for women in FY22, but dropped to 41 to 42 hours in FY23.

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TCS emphasized its investment in learning is heading in the right direction.

The company stated: "Our learning efforts are calibrated based on various factors such as company strategy, market need, learning models, workforce mix, and hiring volumes."

Analysts believe that the decrease in learning hours is likely to be temporary.

Aditya Mishra added: "Amidst various changes occurring in the job market due to the influence of AI, tech employees are aware of the need to stay informed."