Moonlighting: Nasscom calls for reimagining employee engagement models

Despite its recent popularity, moonlighting is not a recent phenomenon. (Representative image)

IT industry body Nasscom has called for a complete reimagination of employee engagement models for the new hybrid way of working as the moonlighting debate gets heated up.

Moonlighting - taking up a second job, or multiple other work assignments typically secretly apart from one’s full-time job - debate gained more prominence after tech giant Wipro recently terminated 300 employees who were working with one of its competitors.

Wipro Chairman Rishad Premji asserted that he stands by his recent comments on moonlighting being a complete violation of integrity "in its deepest form".

"The disagreements about moonlighting arise from a lack of transparency from employees, as it breaks down the trust with their employer," said Debjani Ghosh, President, Nasscom.

"The problem happens when you are a full time worker and you decide to pursue other opportunities without informing your current employer about your decision. That's where the trust between employer and employees breaks down," she said.

She further added, "We have to embrace two models, one is having full time employees onboard and the other is engaging with gig workers. Doing multiple jobs is not the problem but it's how you do it. If the employer is willing to keep gig workers on board, knowing fully that you are working with other companies, that should not be a problem. "

"Companies should come up with a model that helps to build culture, improve productivity, and encourage collaboration. Each company will have to decide this, there is no one size that will fit everywhere."