IT and technology companies are tightening controls on employee benefits, travel and workplace practices as they focus on productivity and cost efficiency amid a challenging business environment.
At Accenture India, employees have been given the option to carry forward earned leave until 31 August, 2027, instead of letting it expire at the end of August this year. The move is aimed at keeping employees available during the company’s year-end period. Employees have also reportedly been encouraged to avoid unproductive meetings to improve the use of working hours.
At SAP, internal travel has been paused as part of a broader spending review, although customer-facing travel, its ‘All in on AI’ programme and mission-critical AI training will continue. The company is also reintroducing tighter oversight of external spending.
HSBC India has reportedly introduced tighter controls on employee cab bookings, with employees who record three consecutive no-shows potentially losing access to the facility, subject to managerial intervention for reinstatement.
The trend extends beyond India. Deloitte plans to reduce certain employee benefits for some US employees from January 2027, including cutting paid family leave and removing a reimbursement benefit for adoption, surrogacy and IVF. Zoom has also reduced parental leave for some US employees.
These changes reflect a shift from broad cost-cutting towards productivity-led efficiency, with companies scrutinising spending and employee time while attempting to retain benefits and flexibility that directly support workforce effectiveness.
