Employers need help managing workers who are taking second jobs

Fast Company

a day ago

Employers who sense rising levels of anxiety and signs of disengagement or displeasure in their workplace now have survey data to explain the sources of that unsettling vibe. But those insights also suggest managers need to address the sources of that unhappiness to avoid losing employees to companies that are already doing so.
That was the main lesson in a recent study by staff recruitment, management, and payroll software company Remote. It polled '2,000 full-time, desk-based U.S. workers' about their perceptions of their workplaces. The overarching message participants sent was they're 'worried about the economy, unsure about their career future, and searching for employers they can trust.' As a result, many respondents said they're looking for greater financial and job security, and simultaneously want more input and guidance from employers—as well as increased flexibility in their work.
Some of those expectations are directly linked to financial pressures many participants said they were under, as well as habits developed under pandemic-era remote working arrangements. Their own money concerns—and the increased fears about the economy's future that 80 percent of respondents expressed—led nearly 20 percent of participants to say they'd already taken on a second job or side hustle. An additional 57 percent say they're looking to do so, for the same reasons.
Rising employee preoccupations with working a second job, along with their pandemic experiences of having worked from home, made flexibility a top priority for all but 11 percent of participants.
About a third said their desire for fully remote employment was higher than it was a year ago, with 26 percent saying the same for hybrid. Around 60 percent of both groups said they'd take a pay cut to secure those arrangements, which tend to offer greater range in doing work and alsofacilitate juggling a side hustle.
Interestingly, other replies in the Remote survey indicated that employers providing increased flexibility may help remedy another problem cited: worker complaints about insufficient communication and support.
Polling data found just 17 percent of respondents said they were getting enough resources and support to feel stable and engaged on the job. Meanwhile, only 8 percent said their company regularly shares information on how the economy may impact their role or organization, with about a quarter describing those updates as 'vague.' Over a third of participants—or 35 percent—said they receive no feedback on that from bosses—but wish they did.
Unexpectedly, however, 50 percent of people with hybrid arrangements and 46 percent of fully remote employees reported getting higher levels of that information and direction from managers. Meaning, with only 37 percent of in-office respondents feeling the same, 'organizations with distributed teams may lean more towards intentional, proactive communication,' analysis of the findings said.
What can employers do to respond to the study's results? Its authors offered the following steps that companies might take to provide workers the 'honesty, stability, and real investment in their well-being' they need and reduce the risks of them seeking these qualities elsewhere instead.
Talk about it. Regular, transparent updates help employees feel grounded.
Rethink flexibility. Flexible policies have moved out of perk territory, and into the essential camp. Flexible working can be a lifeline for disengaged and anxious employees and for those with needs and responsibilities that don't fit into rigid structures.
Invest in development. Clear career paths build security and loyalty.
Support financial wellness. Educational resources can go a long way.
Create space for dialogue. Especially when the conversations are hard.
'The findings serve as a reminder that people-first leadership isn't about guesswork, but listening, responding, and proactively creating environments where employees can maintain stability and productivity, even in uncertain times, instead,' noted Remote's chief people officer, Barbara Matthews.
— By Bruce Crumley