Wipro CEO on moonlighting debate: ‘Side jobs are fine but…'

Few days ago, Wipro had said that it fired 300 employees after they were found ‘moonlighting’. The technology giant's chairman Rishad Premji, a vocal critic of this trending practice, said his company had no place for people who chose to work directly with rivals while being on Wipro's payrolls.

Published on: Oct 13, 2022, 13:10:28 IST

By HT News Desk | Written by Aryan Prakash

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Technology giant Wipro's chief executive officer Thierry Delaporte has said ‘little side jobs were fine', but working for competitor is a question of ethics. The top executive's remarks come amid the raging ‘moonlighting’ debate.

Few days ago, Wipro had said that it fired 300 employees after they were found ‘moonlighting’. The technology giant's chairman Rishad Premji, a vocal critic of this trending practice, said his company had no place for people who chose to work directly with rivals while being on Wipro's payrolls. Premji has referred to ‘moonlighting’ as cheating.

During the press conference in which Wipro's second quarter results were announced, Delaporte said Wipro contracts clearly mention not taking up side job with a rival, PTI reported.

ALSO READ: What is ‘moonlighting’, the practice Infosys warned its employees against

He mention that the employees joining Wipro are expected not only to dedicate their time to the company but also for themselves and families. Delaporte said it is perfectly fine having a little side job, but it is different if an employee is also working for a company that is in the same environment as Wipro. He added that working for competitors is also a conflict of interest.

When asked if ‘moonlighting' is legal or illegal, the CEO said it is a question of ethics and Wipro doesn't believe it is right to have jobs having conflict of interest.

Wipro Chief Executive Officer Thierry Delaporte during a press conference. (PTI file image)

Delaporte said when he spoke about ethics, it means conflict of interest. He added that conflict of interest meant being in position where one no longer knows if the interests are not mixed.

The Wipro CEO said he is not talking about things ‘illegal’ or about side jobs, but about being in an obvious situation of conflict of interest.

This comes days after another IT giant Tata Consultancy Services had called 'moonlighting' an ethical issue and against the company's core values. The company's CEO Rajesh Gopinathan had said as per service contract the employees are not allowed to take up jobs in any other organisation.

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