Are Appraisals At Risk For WFH Employees? TCS Tightens WFO Rules, Mandates 5-Day Office Attendance- What Does This Mean For India’s Work Culture?

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has put final anniversary appraisals on hold for some employees who failed to comply with its strict five-day work-from-office (WFO) mandate, signalling a decisive shift away from hybrid work flexibility. 

The move has sparked debate over whether physical presence is increasingly being prioritised over productivity in India’s corporate ecosystem.

TCS Freezes Appraisals Over Office Attendance Non-Compliance

According to information reviewed by The Times of India, the appraisal freeze applies to employees who did not meet TCS’s office attendance requirements during specific quarters of the current financial year.

While the appraisal process may have been completed at the operational level, it has reportedly not received corporate clearance, effectively putting performance outcomes on hold.

TCS has not responded to media queries on the matter as of publication.

Who Is Affected by the TCS Appraisal Hold?

At TCS, final anniversary appraisals are part of a structured annual process tied to an employee’s work anniversary. 

Freshers typically receive a formal confirmation email after completing a year, with appraisal status reflected on the company’s internal portal, Ultimatix.

The current move primarily affects fresher cohorts, as TCS discontinued final anniversary appraisals for lateral hires in 2022. 

In at least one internal email cited in the report, employees were informed that their appraisal would not be processed due to WFO non-compliance up to Q2 of FY26 (July–September 2025).

The communication also warned that continued non-compliance could result in employees being excluded from the FY26 banding cycle altogether, meaning no performance rating would be issued for the year.

Attendance Becomes a Gatekeeper for Performance Ratings

Traditionally, anniversary appraisals at TCS involve goal-setting by reporting managers, employee self-assessment, and performance evaluation against predefined metrics. 

However, under the tightened WFO regime, attendance compliance has become a decisive filter for whether this process is finalised at all.

TCS now requires employees to work from the office five days a week, placing it among the most stringent enforcers of in-office attendance in India’s IT sector. 

The company has also linked variable pay and performance outcomes directly to physical presence.

How TCS Is Enforcing the 5-Day Office Rule

To back its policy, TCS revised its WFO exception framework last year. Employees can cite personal emergencies for up to six days per quarter, with no carry-forward of unused exceptions. Operational challenges such as space constraints can be logged through structured requests, while network-related issues have separate reporting mechanisms.

However, the company has explicitly ruled out bulk uploads or backend attendance corrections, closing avenues that previously allowed flexibility. The message is clear: exceptions will be limited, monitored, and tightly controlled.

What Research Says About Work From Home and Productivity

The hardline approach contrasts sharply with global research on remote work. A four-year study by the University of South Australia found that employees working from home slept an average of 30 minutes more per night and saved nearly 4.5 hours a week by avoiding commutes time that translated into better focus, energy, and emotional wellbeing.

Crucially, the study noted that productivity and satisfaction were highest when employees chose to work remotely rather than being forced into it. Supportive management and outcome-based evaluation emerged as stronger performance drivers than physical supervision.

WFH, Health, and Work-Life Balance

Other international studies echo similar findings. Researchers in Spain estimate that cutting commute time alone adds the equivalent of ten extra free days annually for workers. 

This time is often reinvested in physical activity, family care, and healthier eating habits, leading to improved morale and reduced burnout.

Hybrid and remote setups have also enabled more flexible daily routines, blending work with small breaks that improve mental health without compromising output.

What Does TCS’s Move Mean for India’s Work Culture?

TCS’s decision comes at a time when many Indian companies continue to embrace hybrid work models. 

By linking appraisals and pay outcomes to office attendance, the company is setting a precedent that could influence wider corporate policy especially in the IT sector.

Critics argue that such measures risk shifting performance evaluation from results to visibility, potentially alienating younger employees who value flexibility. 

Supporters, however, say physical presence strengthens collaboration, accountability, and organisational culture.

Hybrid Work Under Pressure

As India’s largest IT services firm, TCS’s policies often shape industry norms. 

The appraisal freeze raises a larger question: if work-from-home is no longer trusted or rewarded, how will this reshape employee expectations, talent retention, and productivity across India’s white-collar workforce?

The debate is no longer just about where people work but how performance, trust, and outcomes are defined in a post-pandemic workplace.

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