Infosys adopts hybrid hiring as virtual recruitment falls short
BENAGULURU, INDIA — Infosys is moving away from virtual-only hiring after pandemic-era remote recruitment led to mismatches in employee skills and performance.
The Times of India reported that the IT giant, which received 4.4 million job applications last fiscal year, is now blending in-person and online assessments to improve hiring accuracy while addressing risks like moonlighting and fake profiles.
Flaws in virtual recruitment
Infosys‘ shift to a hybrid hiring model comes after virtual recruitment during the pandemic resulted in employees who failed to meet expectations. Earlier this year, the company let go of 600 freshers at its Mysuru campus after they couldn’t clear internal assessments.
In a recent SEC filing, Infosys acknowledged that its virtual hiring process is hindered by fake profiles, a lack of rapport building, and technological issues, which can be mitigated by incorporating face-to-face assessments.
However, the company registered 4.4 million applications during the last fiscal year, and it provided offers for only 83,207 recruits.
This ample selection is a testament to superior evaluation practices. Infosys claims to enhance hiring accuracy by integrating virtual and real-life communication and continues to be efficient in dealing with large numbers of candidates.
Remote work risks push Infosys toward stronger oversight
Infosys has warned that prolonged remote work increases risks like moonlighting—employees taking second jobs without approval—which can lead to conflicts of interest and data breaches.
The company is tightening governance to prevent productivity leaks and confidentiality violations. It also noted the threat of Global Capability Centers (GCCs) in which clients establish their IT departments in India and other areas, such as Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Southeast Asia.
To counter this, Infosys is expanding its own GCC consulting services, appointing Deval Shah, a former Danske IT executive, to lead the initiative. The strategy includes vendor consolidation and AI-driven cost reductions to retain clients.
“While we witness a strong deal momentum, we have also enhanced our capabilities in the GCC scope across consult, sell, build, and deliver functions,” Infosys stated in their filing.
AI and GCCs reshape IT employment landscape
The actions of Infosys point to larger trends in the industry: the shortcomings of all-remote recruitment and the emergence of GCCs, which are challenging the traditional IT outsourcing service.
The fact that the company is interested in AI-driven hyper-productivity signifies a shift towards automating vendor processes, which would minimize the need to recruit large numbers of new hires.
In the meantime, increased scrutiny of working remotely can serve as an example to influence other companies that strive to achieve flexibility while managing their operations.
In contrast, GCCs and AI indicate the induction to the evolving requirements of clients. With the continued risk of remote work and a lack of skills, more businesses in the IT sector may reconsider their hiring practices and workforce policies.
