Accenture Implements Strict Seat Booking Policy for Office Visits

In an internal email dated March 14, Accenture’s return-to-office team reminded employees of the mandatory seat booking policy before coming to work. The email, accessed by Mint, stated, “Repeated walk-ins to the office without a confirmed seat booking are being closely monitored, and appropriate corrective action will be taken.” While the exact nature of these ‘corrective actions’ remains unclear, this policy makes Accenture one of the first major IT companies to enforce such strict measures.

This move to track unauthorized walk-ins comes as IT firms are increasingly encouraging employees to return to the office, even as they cut down on office space. Accenture follows a hybrid policy without fixed days for office attendance. In contrast, Indian IT giants like Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Infosys have mandated a specific number of office days. TCS requires employees to work from the office five days a week, while Infosys has set a minimum of 10 office days per month.

An employee, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed surprise at the new policy. “We are unable to avail transportation like shuttle services to office locations if we do not have a confirmed seat booking,” they said. Another employee noted that the policy would hinder spontaneous visits to the office, stating, “Some of us like working from the office and would want to do so even on days when our project does not have allocated seats. Making it mandatory to book seats makes it tough for us to do so.”

Accenture attributes the advanced seat booking policy to better seat planning and optimal utilization of office capacity. “Advanced seat booking is critical as it enables effective seat planning and optimal utilization of our office capacity—laying the foundation for a consistent in-office experience,” read the company’s email. The policy ensures that employees have a dedicated workspace and a seamless experience. Certain projects have a set number of seats, and employees must book their seats up to a day in advance, at the latest by 12pm on the day before they intend to work from the office.

The push for increased seat booking raises questions about Accenture's real estate capacity. Peter Bendor-Samuel, founder of Everest Group, an IT research and management consultant firm, commented, “It does suggest that they have more people than seats. Clearly, Accenture can achieve better utilization if space is booked in advance. With margins under pressure, all tech services firms are attempting to be as efficient as possible.”

Accenture has been actively working to streamline its operations and reduce costs. During the second quarter of fiscal 2023, the company initiated actions to consolidate its office space, resulting in a $1.5 billion charge, primarily for employee severance. The company's margins jumped 100 basis points from FY23 to FY25, reaching 14.7%. However, the reduced real estate footprint may become a constraint during periods of high demand for in-office collaboration, particularly for client work, training, or AI-related programs, according to Phil Fersht, CEO of HFS Research.

Despite these measures, Accenture’s management has emphasized its commitment to hiring entry-level talent. Julie Sweet, CEO of Accenture, stated during the company’s post-earnings analyst call, “Thanks to our intentional talent strategy, we will hire more entry-level reinventors in FY26 than FY25, which is important for our financial model.”

Accenture’s current real estate footprint is deemed adequate to house its employees, even as the company looks to reduce real estate costs. “In total, we have facilities and operations in more than 200 cities in 52 countries around the world. We do not own any material real property. Substantially all of our facilities are leased under long-term leases with varying expiration dates. We believe that our facilities are adequate to meet our needs in the near future,” stated Accenture in its FY25 annual filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

The company ended the November 2025-February 2026 period with 786,432 employees. While Accenture does not provide a geographic breakdown of headcount, it is estimated that at least 350,000 of its employees are based in India.