TCS delays salary hikes amid global uncertainty

TCS typically revises the wages of its staff in April every year. The employee count at the end of fiscal 2025 stood at 6,07,979, as the company added 625 employees in the fourth quarter

Mumbai: IT services major Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has delayed salary hikes, as the management remained uncleared on the increment cycle amid global uncertainty arising due to US tariffs.

TCS typically revises the wages of its staff in April every year. The employee count at the end of fiscal 2025 stood at 6,07,979, as the company added 625 employees in the fourth quarter.

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In the entire financial year, the company hired 42,000 freshers. The IT major now plans to make the salary revision decision based on the evolving business environment as uncertainty looms the sector.

The attrition rate in the fourth quarter for TCS increased to 13.3 per cent from 13 per cent in the last quarter. According to Milind Lakkad, chief human resources officer at TCS, “We have onboarded 42,000 trainees in FY25 and the FY26 number will be similar or a little higher. Regarding the wage hikes, we will decide during the year, considering the uncertain business environment.”

Lakkad further stated that while hiring from the campus remains strategic for the company, the new net additions will depend on the overall business environment and the skill requirements.

TCS is also looking to hire talent for niche and newer technology skills and plans to scout talent from across geographies, even international. Lakkad also said that the company doesn’t see AI impacting hiring, as more people would be required with AI for business programmes bringing in new opportunities.

In the December quarter (Q3 FY25), TCS reported a reduction of 5,370 employees in its workforce. The company’s overall headcount had declined in FY24 — the first such drop since it was listed in 2004.

In contrast, TCS had added 22,600 employees in FY23 and over 1.03 lakh in FY22. The IT major’s consolidated net profit for Q4 fell nearly 2 per cent year-on-year (YoY) to Rs 12,293 crore.

In the same quarter last year, the company had reported a net profit of Rs 12,502 crore. Revenue from operations, however, grew 5.3 percent YoY to Rs 64,479 crore for the quarter ending March 2025, up from Rs 61,237 crore a year ago.