Sandip Patel, MD of IBM India, warns employees against moonlighting

MD of IBM India Sandip Patel stated that he wanted to be clear with his employees about the “much talked about” topic of moonlighting, adding that if not explained in detail, it could cause a lot of confusion.

IBM India has warned employees not to moonlight unless proper procedures are followed. IBM India MD Sandip Patel reiterated the company’s stance and policies on moonlighting and discouraged it, as well as any personal activities are undertaken at the expense of IBM’s interests, in an internal email to employees.

Patel stated in the note, a copy of which Moneycontrol reviewed, that he wanted to be clear with his employees about the “much talked about” topic of moonlighting, adding that it could cause a lot of confusion if not explained at a granular level.

“To put it simply,’moonlighting’ is having a second job in addition to one’s regular, full-time employment,” he wrote in the note.

This isn’t the first time Patel has mentioned moonlighting. Patel stated during the company’s flagship event, ‘Think 2022,’ in September, that he agreed with Wipro Chairman Rishad Premji’s stance on moonlighting and that he was opposed to dual employment, calling it “not ethically right.”

According to the internal note, while employed with IBM, employees are prohibited from engaging in any other employment or business in any role or capacity, particularly if it is a competitor.

This development comes after competitors such as Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys, Wipro, HCLTech, and LTI stated their stance on moonlighting. Infosys sent a similar letter to its employees in September, warning them that moonlighting could result in termination. Wipro’s Premji stated that the company had already fired approximately 300 employees who were discovered to be working for competitors on a freelance basis.

HCLTech and TCS, too, discouraged their employees from working extra hours.

Meanwhile, Infosys Ltd. Had implemented a new policy and sent an email to its employees outlining the steps to be taken in order to take on external work, without using the term “moonlighting.” The company permitted gig work with non-competing companies, but only with management approval.

“ International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) Business Conduct Guidelines (BCGs) also make it clear under Guidelines 7.1 and 7.2 that while an IBMers’ time outside of work is their own, it also requires them to avoid engaging in activities that create a conflict of interest with IBM’s business. IBM’s BCGs highlight that providing assistance to a competitor in any capacity is a clear conflict of interest,” the note said.

“At IBM, our stance has always been clear: we encourage every IBMer to bring their whole selves to work. Your passion – be it for art, dance, or music is celebrated here, and in that spirit, we’d love to see you pursue your interests. However, if you advance a personal interest, whether directly or indirectly, at the expense of IBM’s interests, it is treated as a serious conflict of interest and a violation of trust,” the note added.