WFH to WFO

Most of the employers are now fed-up with their employees working from home (WFH) and the enterprises are trying to find the way how they will return to Work from Office (WFO). It seems all the technology failed to track the performance and have a second job, typically secretly and at night which is called moonlighting.

Companies have opposed the practice of moonlighting, saying that employees doing multiple jobs can impact their productivity. Moonlighting has become a topic of debate in the IT industry as working from home (WFH) became the normal norm during the Covid-19 pandemic, which is believed to have led to a rise in dual employment. However, Indian IT firms are divided when it comes to moonlighting. For some, it is unethical while others call it the need of the hour.

About 50% of leaders say their company already requires or is planning to require employees to return to in-person work full-time in the next year. In the same report, 52% of workers said that they are thinking of switching to a full-time remote or hybrid job in 2022.

The issue of moonlighting or dual employment has emerged as a big talking point in the IT industry ever since Wipro Chairman Rishad Premji red-flagged the issue on Twitter, equating it to "cheating". Recently, Infosys allowed its staff to take up external gig work provided such an engagement does not compete with the company, its clients or pose conflict of interest.

At the same time, Happiest Minds' Executive Vice Chairman Joseph Anantharaju said, We have been quite clear with our people that it is something we will not accept... because when you sign a contract or employment offer, you are agreeing to work only for that company." While the majority of tech firms are against the idea of secondary work, companies like Tech Mahindra support the idea if its workers are open about it.

Moonlighting raises risks and questions around security, as well as commitment of workers in devoting their time and attention to end customers and delivery outcomes. HCL Technologies has said it does not approve of dual employment although it hastened to add that the issue is not a major one within the company.

Most employees do not seem to be too excited to return to the office and instead they are searching for more flexible job opportunities. CIEL HR Services, a staffing company, in its recent survey concluded that around 88% of top IT companies are ready to quit their current IT jobs instead of returning to the offices. Most of them are mothers and caregivers who are looking for work from home opportunities.

Experts believe that tech moonlighting has certainly escalated the fears among corporate companies as employers cannot supervise the work closely and so the pressure to return to the office.

S Mohini Ratna, Editor, VARINDIA