DailyPost 2190
ANTI-MOONLIGHTING PROTOCOL / SOFTWARE
IT grew for a long time in an unregulated manner. Compliances were barely there and the dream run of IT began with a promise to change the face of the world. Moolah started coming with Y2K. Instead, there were tonnes of waivers, tax holidays, land at subsidized rates and what not! They gave us a promise to transform the economy and business. Slowly regulations moved in, but even today also they remain a preferred lot, with lots of IT behemoths able to manage what others businesses cannot. From the anti-trust of Microsoft to Facebooks of today, they have created a different world and business environment for themselves. Lots of it has rubbed on to employees.
The privileges of the employees and the work environment they were provided with can be anybody’s envy. When the cash registers were ringing might as well pass on some to the employees was the thought process. Employees were also having a dream run. Both aspirations and profits have been skyrocketing in the IT world. Who knows some employees developed megalomanic aspirations? We have any number of instances in the StartUp world, where vertical growth was forcibly made to be the norm. In between Covid-19 hit hard. IT still had its way or may be a better run. Work from home and super relaxed work environment as long you delivered the threshold, provided time and energy to make a fast buck. Someone started and others followed.
A gig with various full employments or part time jobs or any combination of it became the name of the game. While it was below the carpet during Covid-19 days, now the companies are feeling the heat. Anti-moonlighting protocol needs to be put in place, if the IT industry has to get rid of this malaise or even control it. All the current rules of employment have to implemented in word and spirit and each of the terms and conditions have to be tangibly executed. Secondly, the whole company should put a new employment practice, first on single full-time employment. Thirdly, before entering this employment practice all employees need to give details whether have been moonlighting or not? Have they done anything of this nature knowing fully well the competitors company? Fourthly, how the employing company operates in its nitty gritty have to brought into a neat legal document and they have to consent to heed to it. Loyalty to your job. It needs to be consistently evaluated.
What is whole purpose of annual performance appraisal of a moonlighting employee. They are ready to get fired? They are confident that they will have brilliant career in the IT industry even after getting fired by an IT major. This is the HR scenario in the IT world. A software incorporating all the above should developed, the data fed on a dynamic and real time level, will throw up contractions to put the moonlighters on the mat. This would include all their financial details, when there is one employment, the employer needs to know, more so when the circumstances are suspect. Laptops and other gadget issued by the company and being used by employees would throw up a wealth of data on the employee’s nefarious activities. The phones and movements emanating out of it will prove moonlighting beyond doubt. Privacy cannot be legally invoked in these circumstances. Is it not a criminal breach of trust? A bounced cheque of the smallest amount is!
ANTI-MOONLIGHTING SOFTWARE BASED ON ACROSS COMPANY PROTOCOL IS THE NEED OF THE HOUR.
Sanjay Sahay