Indian IT hiring in Q2: HCLTech adds 6,450 employees as Wipro loses 6,716

India’s leading IT services companies reported contrasting workforce trends in the September quarter of FY26, with HCLTech adding 6,450 employees and Wipro reducing its headcount by 6,716. Infosys also expanded its workforce, while Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) reported the largest employee base among the four companies.

The figures, reported in the companies’ quarterly results and filings, reflect differences in hiring, workforce composition and attrition across the sector. Their attrition measures also use differing definitions, limiting direct comparisons.

HCLTech leads quarterly workforce additions

HCLTech’s workforce increased to 230,339 in the September quarter, a net addition of 6,450 employees. The company’s headcount had declined by 3,292 in the preceding quarter.

Freshers accounted for a substantial share of the latest additions. HCLTech recruited 6,136 freshers in the September quarter, compared with 1,056 in the June quarter.

The company reported trailing 12-month attrition of 12.8%, up from 12.7% in June. HCLTech excludes involuntary attrition and digital process operations from this measure.

Women accounted for 30% of its workforce, according to the reported figures.

Infosys adds employees as attrition declines

Infosys added 4,480 employees during the quarter, taking its workforce to 332,542 at the end of September. The company had 328,062 employees at the end of June and 331,991 a year earlier.

Its workforce composition was as follows:

• Software professionals: 314,508, up from 310,039 in June.

• Sales and support staff: 18,034, compared with 18,023 in June.

• Voluntary attrition: 12.7% on a trailing 12-month basis, down from 13% in June and 14.3% a year earlier.

Infosys reported employee benefit expenses of Rs 25,483 crore, compared with Rs 25,287 crore in the preceding quarter.

Chief Financial Officer Jayesh Sanghrajka said cost and operational efficiency measures, alongside required investments, helped the company maintain its operating margin at 21%.

Wipro records a decline in employee numbers

Wipro ended September with 236,328 employees, down from 243,044 in June. The reduction of 6,716 employees represented a quarterly decline of approximately 2.8%.

Despite the sequential fall, its workforce remained 836 employees above the level recorded a year earlier.

Sales and support staff in IT services declined to 15,016 from 15,100 in June. Wipro’s voluntary attrition rate stood at 13.8%, compared with 13.9% in the preceding quarter.

The figures show a reduction in Wipro’s overall workforce alongside a marginal improvement in its reported voluntary attrition rate.

TCS retains the largest workforce

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) reported 598,056 employees at the end of September, making it the largest employer among the four IT services companies covered.

Its headcount increased from 593,798 in June, according to the figures provided. The company also reported a 17% sequential increase in learning hours to 17.1 million.

TCS Chief Human Resources Officer Sudeep Kunnumal said the company continued to focus on upskilling employees and hiring talent for critical skills. He described IT services attrition at 13.3% as stable.

Employee costs stood at Rs 41,890 crore, compared with Rs 42,137 crore in the June quarter.

How the four IT majors compare

The September-quarter figures highlight different workforce movements across the companies:

• HCLTech: Added 6,450 employees, taking its workforce to 230,339.

• Infosys: Added 4,480 employees, bringing its headcount to 332,542.

• TCS: Reported 598,056 employees, the largest workforce among the four companies.

• Wipro: Reduced its workforce by 6,716 employees to 236,328.

Among the three companies reporting comparable attrition figures in the supplied data, Infosys recorded 12.7%, HCLTech 12.8% and Wipro 13.8%. TCS reported attrition of 13.3%, although differences in measurement definitions mean the figures should not be treated as strictly comparable.

Hiring patterns point to differing workforce priorities

The September-quarter results show that workforce changes were not uniform across India’s major IT services companies. HCLTech increased freshers’ recruitment, Infosys expanded its employee base and Wipro reported a sequential reduction.

TCS continued to invest in employee learning while maintaining the largest workforce among the four companies. Future quarterly disclosures will provide further evidence of how recruitment, attrition, skills development and operational efficiency shape staffing decisions across the sector.