Employee Poaching

Employee Poaching can simply be defined as going after the other company's employees. Though poaching is illegal, still many companies are practicing it. The reason being getting the finest of the employees. Google and Apple were not exceptions.

Few years back, these two giants decided to have a non-poaching agreement, where Google will not go after Apple's employees, and Vice-versa. This is not a written agreement and is considered non-official, but they implemented in such a way that the recruitment divisions of both the companies follow it.

The questions arises here is this that whether employee poaching is ethical or unethical? Well, as the ethics can be universally defined, so this will always be a question.

ETHICAL : There is an obvious points here, i.e., employees in this case will be a sandwich. The Google employee who want to work in Apple, will not be successful in the same, no matter how interested he is.

The other aspect can be the employee's right to free access to the market. Though poaching is beneficial for an organization, but it is not for an employee. The employee's KSA may be worth appreciation and a comparatively better job at a better place.

UNETHICAL : The current employee working on a important project has received a good offer for job from other company. The employee decided to leave the current organization for better opportunities. What will happen to the current organization in this case? Obviously, it can not have a immediate hire.



Solutions for Employee Poaching:

1. It is only due to this that organizations have started a BOND SIGNATURE rule, where a contract is being signed between the employee and the employer for a fixed period of time.

2. Including the non-compete clause in the employment contract.

3. Charging high amount if the employee breaks the contract.


There are many other solutions which varies from companies to companies, but the dilemma will always be there about the ethics question.