Tech Majors’ Hiring Trends: Lessons for Workforce Management Leaders

India’s top IT exporters—often considered bellwethers for workforce strategies—have seen turbulent shifts in hiring in the last quarter. The top six IT majors added only 952 net employees in Q2 FY26, a sharp slowdown primarily due to major layoffs at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), which let go over 16,000 employees. This contrasts with previous quarters where firms like TCS added over 20,000 jobs. Meanwhile, peers such as HCLTech, Wipro, Tech Mahindra, LTIMindtree, and Infosys collectively hired more than 20,000, but slower growth and “AI-readiness” are shifting the employment landscape.

Key Takeaways for WFM and Leadership

• Balancing Talent Pools: As digital transformation reshapes business, sustaining the right mix between experienced talent and new hires is critical. Leaders must restructure teams not just for cost efficiency but also for renewed agility and the ability to respond to rapid tech changes, especially with AI integration becoming central.​
• Strategic Restructuring: The slowdown in hiring—even among tech giants—signals broader industry restructuring. Organizations should regularly reassess talent requirements to remain competitive and future-ready, not just in IT but across industries influenced by digitization.​
• Retention and Retraining: Retaining and upskilling current employees is now as vital as new hiring. With AI and automation reshaping jobs, a workforce skilled in both legacy and emerging technologies becomes a key differentiator for organizations looking to maintain operational continuity and growth.​
• Role of Freshers: The news highlights how even amid headcount reduction, companies are actively hiring freshers. This practice ensures a pipeline of adaptable, tech-savvy talent that can be trained for future needs. Leaders should consider structured campus hiring and mentoring initiatives to infuse youthful energy and new skills into their teams.​

Action Points for WFM Leaders

• Review existing workforce structures and prepare adaptive hiring models that can scale up or down rapidly depending on business cycles.
• Invest in programs that upskill both fresh recruits and experienced employees with in-demand skills, especially in AI, analytics, and digital operations.
• Build a culture that actively supports redeployment and cross-functional upskilling, reducing the pain of layoffs during downturns.
• Monitor industry hiring trends quarterly and share insights with leadership to proactively adjust workforce plans.

Closing Thoughts

The latest hiring numbers from India’s tech majors underscore the importance of flexibility, agility, and ongoing learning in workforce management. By learning from these trends, WFM professionals and leaders can better position their organizations for prosperity—even in unpredictable market conditions.​

This blog is tailored for the GWFM portal audience, focusing on actionable insights for leaders and workforce management professionals based on current news and industry shifts

Source: GWFM Research & Study