Is moonlighting (side job/side hustle) having a positive or adverse effect on employees' mental health?

Job stress and job satisfaction have always been a question for organizations and startups everywhere in the world. Experts reveal how moonlighting (side job/side hustle) has a positive or adverse effect on the mental health of employees

Improving job satisfaction? This question has not been answered. Therefore, job stress and job satisfaction have always been a question for organizations and startups everywhere in the world.

Is moonlighting (side job/side hustle) having a positive or adverse effect on employees' mental health? (Yan Krukov)

Sometimes job stress is excessive because it creates a negative and positive relationship between the individual and the environment. When a person feels that work stress is excessive, physical and mental health problems can occur.

Talking about how moonlighting (side job/side hustle) has a positive or adverse effect on the mental health of employees, Anil Agarwal, CEO and Co-Founder of IaaS firm InCruiter, shared in an interview with HT Lifestyle, “ Neither moonlighting nor the debate surrounding it is new. However, the present scenario is demanding a deeper consideration on the issue. While there is no denying that off duty hours belong to the individual and are best to be used for his or her personal utilisation. Yet, it's also a concern for the human resource department. ”

He asserted, “The HR concerns are not merely limited to security of company data and knowledge that activities like moonlighting may put at risk. The overall well being of employees. The HR devices its policies so as to ensure the employees remain physically and mentally fit for work. Some companies have a five and even four days work schedule for this purpose. An employee while working for a few extra bucks might compromise with his own well being and expectations of the company.”

Raj Tanwar, HR Head at Advantage Club, revealed, “There are always two sides to a coin. Moonlight has a strong attraction to it but has some minor impacts too. On one side, moonlighting provides an opportunity to fulfil employees' dreams and not as a medium to earn money only i.e. there are loads of people with different passions but due to parental pressure, they adopt another career. So today if they wish to live their dreams again and can make some money too why not?”

He added, “It does add up to make a great place to work and enhances engagement and aids happiness. On the flip side, especially on softer aspects, sometimes mental and physical burnout is highly likely. Hence, we must provide excellent support on factors like well-being and educate on how to balance it or deal with health impacts as deemed fit. Moonlighting can be used to your advantage to create a strong EVP and stand out as an employer of choice. It's in your hand whether you see it as a threat or as an opportunity.”