IT major Wipro has fired 300 employees after they were found working for a rival firm while being on the company’s payroll, its executive chairman Rishad Premji said on Wednesday.
Wipro terminates 300 employees
Wipro has taken a strict decision against employees involved in moonlighting and sacked 300 employees. Wipro chairman Rishad Premji said that the company found these people to be moonlighting and working for rival companies in the last few months, adding that there was no place for such people in the company.
“The reality is that there are people today working for Wipro and working directly for one of our competitors and we have actually discovered 300 people in the last few months who are doing exactly that,” Premji said speaking at an All India Management Association National Management Convention.
What is Moonlighting?
Moonlighting means taking up a second job or multiple other work tasks apart from one’s full-time job. The practice of working for other organizations while dedicating oneself to one’s primary workplace, typically without the employer’s knowledge, is termed ‘moonlighting’. Companies have opposed the practice, saying that employees doing multiple jobs can impact their productivity.
This issue has become a topic of debate in the IT industry as working from home became the normal norm during the Covid-19 pandemic, which is believed to have led to a rise in dual employment.
The debate over the issue
Moonlighting has rather divided the Indian IT firm following Wipro’s chief’s remarks. Tata Consultancy Services’ chief operating officer (CFO) NG Subramaniam has termed it an ethical issue, while Tech Mahindra CEO CP Gurnani said he could be open to the practice if it helps employees make extra money. He also hopes employees to be open and has warned them of committing fraud.
Another significant IT firm, Infosys, has warned its employees against taking up a second job without letting the company know. In one of the recent emails sent by the HR department to employees, Infosys highlighted that all its employees must read their employment contracts before taking up an alternative job. In fact, the company also warned employees of termination if they take up a second job during or post-working hours.
Speaking at an All India Management Association event, Wipro chairman Rishad Premji said, “If you actually look at the definition of moonlighting, it is having a second job secretively I’m all about transparency. As a part of transparency, individuals in organizations can have very candid conversations,” reported Moneycontrol.
He added that organizations and individuals could make a “concerted choice” about second jobs. Alluding to the Wipro incident, he reiterated that current employees working for rival firms are a “complete violation of integrity in its deepest form”.
