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Wipro Extends Bench Time, Defies Industry Trend
2 Oct
Summary
- Wipro offers junior staff up to six months on bench.
- Rivals TCS and Cognizant have much shorter bench periods.
- Differentiated policy applies only to Band 2 and below employees.
Wipro is adopting a distinct strategy for managing its talent pool in India, offering employees in Band 2 and below up to six months to secure a billable role. This revised policy, effective October 1st, 2026, provides a 180-day window for redeployment, diverging from the rapid deployment timelines seen at other major IT firms.
In contrast, companies like TCS mandate 225 billable days annually, significantly limiting bench time, while Cognizant reduced its bench period to 35 days years ago. Wipro's extended period for junior staff aims to enhance efficiency by allowing for potential retraining for emerging roles, thereby reducing new hiring needs when demand rebounds.
However, this extended window is not a guarantee of continued employment; employees in Band 2 and below without an allocation after 180 days may still face separation. Employees in Band 3 and above continue with a 45-day bench period, with a 75-day allowance for employees with disabilities, creating a tiered management system based on employee band.
