Infosys Again Accuses Rival Cognizant of Poaching Staff, Latter Responds
The ongoing saga of poaching and counter-poaching continues to unfold in the Indian IT sector, with Infosys once again accusing its rival Cognizant of poaching its employees. This is not the first time that the two companies have clashed over the issue, with Cognizant’s head, Ravi Kumar, being a former Infosys executive.
According to a recent report, Infosys has accused Cognizant’s Chief People Officer, Kathryn Diaz, and Americas division head, Surya Gummadi, of poaching two of its employees, Shveta Arora and Ravi Kuchibhotla. Arora was a part of Infosys’ Helix team, while Kuchibhotla was a senior employee in the company. Both have now joined Cognizant as its consulting head and Chief Security Officer (CSO), respectively.
Infosys has alleged that Diaz and Gummadi had approached the two employees and lured them away from the company with promises of better salaries and benefits. The company has also accused Cognizant of violating the non-compete clauses that are a part of the employment contracts of its employees.
This is not the first time that Infosys has accused Cognizant of poaching its employees. In the past, both companies have been involved in a series of high-profile poaching cases, with each accusing the other of violating the non-compete clauses and engaging in unfair recruitment practices.
In response to the allegations, Cognizant has denied any wrongdoing and has accused Infosys of continuously attempting to mislead the public and the media. A spokesperson for the company said that Infosys is trying to divert attention from its own internal issues and is using the poaching allegations as a way to deflect criticism.
“This is a classic case of a competitor trying to deflect attention from their own internal issues by making false allegations,” the spokesperson said. “We take all allegations of poaching seriously, but we have done nothing wrong in this case. We will continue to focus on delivering value to our clients and employees, while Infosys focuses on addressing its internal issues.”
The poaching allegations have once again raised questions about the competitive dynamics in the Indian IT sector. The sector is highly competitive, with companies constantly looking for ways to gain an edge over their rivals. While poaching employees is a common practice in the industry, it is also a sensitive issue that can damage relationships between companies and their employees.
The allegations have also highlighted the growing importance of talent retention in the IT sector. As companies struggle to attract and retain top talent, poaching and counter-poaching have become increasingly common. The issue has also raised questions about the role of non-compete clauses in the industry, with some arguing that they are necessary to protect company secrets and intellectual property, while others argue that they are overly restrictive and can limit employee mobility.
In conclusion, the poaching allegations between Infosys and Cognizant are just the latest example of the cutthroat competitive dynamics in the Indian IT sector. While poaching employees is a common practice in the industry, it is also a sensitive issue that can damage relationships between companies and their employees. As companies continue to compete for top talent, it will be interesting to see how the issue plays out in the coming months.
