IBM India has sent a strong message to employees on moonlighting. In an internal note to employees, IBM India MD Sandip Patel has said it’s a violation of trust, policy and creates a potential conflict of interest.
“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 said. Here’s the complete letter.
Dear IBMer,
I trust you and your family are well.
I wanted to share my thoughts on something that has been on my mind lately and probably yours too. This pertains to ‘moonlighting’ – a subject which has been much talked about recently and understandably so. The moonlighting concept can cause a lot of confusion if not clarified at a granular level which is why I am writing to you.
Simply put, “moonlighting” is commonly referred to as having a second job in addition to one’s regular, full-time employment. IBM’s employment contracts require that employees refrain from engaging in any other employment or business in any role or capacity and not compete with IBM. IBM’s 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.
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.
A second job could be full-time, part-time, or contractual in nature but, at its core, is a failure to comply with employment obligations and a potential conflict of interest with IBM’s interests. For example, as an individual, you may operate a small business, but if you spend your work time at IBM doing the same, it will conflict with your official duties to IBM. Another example would be you working with competitors in the market over weekends; even though you do so in personal time, it is still a conflict and in breach of your employment obligations.
IBM’s policy is also fundamentally important to the trust our clients place in IBM when they entrust us with the transformation, access, and management of critical commercial assets, including their data and systems. They expect that IBM has procedures that limit any potential for these assets to be disclosed or accessed in an unauthorised manner by a third party.
And as they say, if it’s grey, stay away or ask for clarification. If you intend to engage in any activities outside of IBM, including work with any non-profit or philanthropic activity, please follow the approval process available here Third Party Activity & Board Approval.
If you have questions or concerns, you should speak up and raise these with your manager, HR, IBM legal, Trust & Compliance. We’re here to listen and help.
IBMers are IBM’s greatest strength, built on our core value – “Trust and personal responsibility in all relationships”. I am confident that together we will usher in sustainable growth for our clients, partners and ourselves.
Take care and stay safe.
Sandip
“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 said. Here’s the complete letter.
Dear IBMer,
I trust you and your family are well.
I wanted to share my thoughts on something that has been on my mind lately and probably yours too. This pertains to ‘moonlighting’ – a subject which has been much talked about recently and understandably so. The moonlighting concept can cause a lot of confusion if not clarified at a granular level which is why I am writing to you.
Simply put, “moonlighting” is commonly referred to as having a second job in addition to one’s regular, full-time employment. IBM’s employment contracts require that employees refrain from engaging in any other employment or business in any role or capacity and not compete with IBM. IBM’s 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.
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.
A second job could be full-time, part-time, or contractual in nature but, at its core, is a failure to comply with employment obligations and a potential conflict of interest with IBM’s interests. For example, as an individual, you may operate a small business, but if you spend your work time at IBM doing the same, it will conflict with your official duties to IBM. Another example would be you working with competitors in the market over weekends; even though you do so in personal time, it is still a conflict and in breach of your employment obligations.
IBM’s policy is also fundamentally important to the trust our clients place in IBM when they entrust us with the transformation, access, and management of critical commercial assets, including their data and systems. They expect that IBM has procedures that limit any potential for these assets to be disclosed or accessed in an unauthorised manner by a third party.
And as they say, if it’s grey, stay away or ask for clarification. If you intend to engage in any activities outside of IBM, including work with any non-profit or philanthropic activity, please follow the approval process available here Third Party Activity & Board Approval.
If you have questions or concerns, you should speak up and raise these with your manager, HR, IBM legal, Trust & Compliance. We’re here to listen and help.
IBMers are IBM’s greatest strength, built on our core value – “Trust and personal responsibility in all relationships”. I am confident that together we will usher in sustainable growth for our clients, partners and ourselves.
Take care and stay safe.
Sandip
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