Wipro tightens hybrid work policy, mandates six-hour office minimum

Wipro has tightened the rules governing its hybrid work model, requiring employees to spend a minimum of six hours in the office on days they are scheduled to work from campus, signalling a shift away from the looser flexibility allowed earlier.

The change was communicated to employees through internal emails and comes even as the IT services major continues to mandate office attendance for three days a week. The key update is the formal definition of how long employees must remain on site between their in and out punches.

The Economic Times reported that the revised policy makes it mandatory for employees to complete at least six hours in the office on each designated work-from-office day. The rule took effect from January 1 and applies across teams, according to the report.

Wipro’s human resources team informed employees that hybrid work remains central to the company’s long-term workplace strategy, but said tighter monitoring was required to ensure consistency and collaboration. In its internal communication, the company stated that it expected associates to adhere to the policy in both letter and spirit.

The six-hour requirement does not reduce the total length of the working day. Wipro’s standard workday remains 9.5 hours, with employees expected to complete the remaining hours remotely on the same day and ensure delivery against assigned responsibilities.

The updated framework also links office attendance more closely with leave management. The Economic Times reported that employees who fail to meet the six-hour minimum on a designated office day may face a half-day leave deduction, while repeated non-compliance with the weekly office attendance requirement could impact leave balances.

The move builds on Wipro’s earlier decision to formalise its hybrid work model. In October 2024, chief human resources officer Saurabh Govil announced a policy requiring employees to work from the office three days a week, while retaining limited flexibility for remote work during the year.

Under the earlier framework, employees were allowed up to 30 additional remote work days annually, split between sick leave and caregiving needs. The updated policy has narrowed this allowance. The Economic Times reported that the number of remote work days permitted under specific circumstances has been reduced to 12 days in a calendar year, from 15 earlier.

Taken together, the changes reflect a broader recalibration underway across India’s IT sector, as companies seek tighter control over attendance after years of pandemic-era flexibility. For Wipro, the revised policy underscores that hybrid work will continue, but with clearer rules and stronger accountability.