Americans moonlight to make ends meet

The Future. Inflation is still overshadowing wage increases, prompting some full-time employees to take on side hustles for the first time in their working lives. While more Americans are now living paycheck-to-paycheck than ever before, they realize that they can only maintain their pre-pandemic lifestyles with a second job. If employers can’t pay their workers enough to meet the rising cost of living, they may see more burnout, less loyalty, and, eventually, reduced profits.

The statistics don’t lie

• 4.5 million Americans are currently working part-time jobs in addition to their full-time roles, according to the Labor Department.
• 75% of employees say they need additional work to make enough money due to inflation, according to an October survey of 1,700 US-based employees by Monster.com.
• One in 30 white-collar professionals is looking for a second job compared to one in 100 in prior years, according to staffing firm Kelly Services.
• 81% of Gen Z and 77% of Millennial workers say they have pursued gig work or are considering other side work to help supplement their income, according to a survey by Prudential Financial.

Many people opt to supplement their income by joining the gig economy — driving Ubers, delivering food, or selling designer duds from their closets online. But they might be able to actually snag better perks with more traditional part-time jobs in retail or hospitality, which sometimes offer signing bonuses and premium pay for weekend work.

Double-edged sword
Americans juggling multiple jobs express gratitude for the extra coin in their pockets and, simultaneously, feel “resentful they have to do that” on top of their family and social obligations. The work-life balance remains a myth.