Work-work balance

Experts want more debate on moonlighting before it is shunned completely

- ABHINAV SINGH

WIPRO FIRED 300 EMPLOYEES for doing it; TCS COO N.G. Subramaniam said it was an “ethical issue”; Tech Mahindra CEO C.P. Gurnani supported it; and Infosys said it would terminate contracts of those found guilty.

Moonlighting is not a new concept, but the pandemic gave it a bigger spotlight. As lakhs of India’s IT professionals started working from home, they found more time to take up a second or third assignment. The major reasons for doing so— extra income, the chance to prove their capabilities in different jobs, non-recognition by employers, and utilisation of spare time.

As employees started working from anywhere during the pandemic, managers could not supervise them. “IT companies saw a huge demand during the pandemic as every industry sector wanted to digitise its processes,” said Aditya Narayan Mishra, MD and CEO of CIEL HR. “The demand for IT professionals increased, but the supply was not adequate. Hence, companies were desperate to get employees on board without conducting due diligence.”

A few experts THE WEEK spoke to said that moonlighting could not be bracketed one way or the other. “It prevails due to talent shortage in the market, backed by the increasing demand for niche skills in the IT sector,” said Arjun Ramaraju, CEO of software firm Conneqt Digital.

Experts pointed out that the gig model was viewed negatively, too, but has now become an accepted mode of employment globally. Therefore, rather than curbing it altogether, it would be fruitful to discuss whether moonlighting can be explored in a transparent, compliant and secure manner.