IT headcount flattens as delivery models reset

India’s IT services sector saw a sequential decline in headcount of 2, 938 employees across five companies – Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, Wipro, HCLTech and Tech Mahindra – in the December quarter, highlighting the growing decoupling between workforce growth and business performance.

While the broader universe remained in contraction mode, the country’s four largest IT services firms — TCS, Infosys, Wipro and HCLTech — together reported a marginal net addition of 160 employees, effectively signalling flat headcount growth at the top end of the market despite steady deal activity and improving demand commentary.