Recruits at Wipro joins with half salaries, says CFO

Jatin Dalal, Wipro's Chief Financial Officer, reports that 92 per cent of freshers joined at the lower compensation offer in order to fast-track the onboarding process.

A 50% reduction in salary packages for freshers was announced by Wipro, the Indian IT services company, in February. After initially offering Rs 6.5 lakh per year to the new recruits, the company cut salaries citing a "changing macro environment." Many questioned the ethical implications of the cut.

According to Wipro's Chief Financial Officer, Jatin Dalal, 92 percent of freshers opted to join the company at the lower compensation offer in order to accelerate their onboarding process.

As Dalal explained, the company had allowed new recruits to choose whether to accept the lower salary or not. "We will continue to onboard next-gen associates based on our business needs throughout the year," he added.

He explained that Wipro's decision to reduce compensation packages for freshers was made with "full fairness and transparency." He stated that new recruits were given both options and that the majority

The lower compensation offer created an immediate opportunity for freshers to start careers and acquire new skills, according to an email sent to freshers by Wipro.

"As we work to honour all outstanding offers made, this current offer creates an immediate opportunity for candidates to start their careers, build their expertise and acquire new skills - both through the interesting and innovative work that we do, as well as our extensive learning and development programs," the email read.

The decision to reduce salaries for freshers may have been controversial, but Wipro claims that changing business needs made it necessary. Despite the lower salary offer, most of the new recruits accepted and the company plans to continue onboarding new associates throughout the year.