IT major Infosys Technologies today said it added 5,311 employees in October-December quarter of

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2010, taking its total headcount to 1.27 lakh.

The company hired 11,067 employees in the third quarter this fiscal, but nearly 5,756 employees left the organisation during the same period, bringing the net addition at 5,311, the company said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange.

"Our attrition has reduced. The employee engagement programme has shown good results. Employee referrals are at an all time high. Lateral hiring are a record this quarter," Infosys Member of the Board and Head – HRD and Education & Research TV Mohandas Pai said.

Infosys CFO SD Shibulal added, "After the slowdown attrition went up. But now this has stabilised and is not that big a concern. The industry has always been able to manage it."

However, according to the filing, the company's attrition rate (last 12 months (LTM) basis) stood at 17.5 per cent in the third quarter of this fiscal compared to 17.1 per cent in the preceding quarter.

As on December 31, 2010, Infosys and its subsidiaries employed a total of 1,27,779 people compared to 1,09,882 at the end of December 31, 2009, it added.

"Hiring at entry level is not that difficult, but hiring experienced people is a challenge since we are picking up people from other companies. It is like a musical chair that goes on," Infosys CEO and MD S Gopalakrishnan said.

The company, which counts BT Group, BP Plc and Goldman Sachs among its clients, said it has added 40 clients during the quarter taking its total active clientele to 612.