Latest news with #EdHuang
Forbes
23-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Workplace Favoritism: One In 10 Are Quitting Over It
When the majority of employees in your workplace feel overlooked while a select few are given special treatment, it creates feelings of resentment, inequality and animosity among team members. A new study finds that workplace favoritism is widespread and affects morale and retention. Poor morale in turn automatically affects engagement, productivity and the company's bottom line. This new research shows that nine in ten employees have observed workplace favoritism, and it's pushing workers out of traditional jobs into side hustles. surveyed 1,000 American employees on the widespread impact of workplace favoritism on employee satisfaction, retention and team dynamics. Key results include: Additional Findings Include: The study reports that the largest group of employees (55%) who benefit most from workplace favoritism are those with personal ties to management. Others include well-connected employees; workers favored for gender, age or a specific demographic; shared interests or hobbies with management; high performers; and leadership or client-facing roles. The most common forms of workplace favoritism are: 1. Favorable treatment based on personal relationships (61%) 2. Favoritism in work assignments (44%) 3. Favoritism in schedule flexibility or remote work privileges (41%) 4. Unequal opportunities for promotions (40%) 5. Preferential treatment during conflict resolution or disciplinary actions (34%) 6. Allocation of resources such as budgets, tools or team support (25%) 7. Favoritism tied to performance metrics (25%) 8. Unequal access to training or professional development opportunities (19%) I spoke by email with Ed Huang, side hustle and finance expert at 'We were shocked to find that nine in 10 employees have witnessed favoritism in the workplace, and it's quite telling to see that one in five Americans have already turned to freelancing or started their own business just to escape it,' Huang says. 'It's not just about unfair promotions or who gets the best assignments. Our findings indicate that favoritism is actively pushing people out of traditional jobs--especially among Gen Z and millennials--where over 40% have considered quitting because of it.' According to Huang, this shift explains the growing popularity of side hustles. 'Workers are craving autonomy, equity and a chance to grow based on merit—not manager preference,' he point out. 'With one in 10 planning to quit this year due to favoritism, side gigs are becoming more than just extra income; they're a career safety net.' We all want to be recognized for our hard work. But workplace favoritism can eclipse the outstanding work we do. Still, there are positive ways you can get noticed at work. Studies show that you don't have to be loud and obnoxious to get noticed by your employer. Although it takes extra time and effort to gain visibility, the payoff is well worth the effort. Here are 10 ways you to make sure your hard work gets noticed without boasting when all the attention is going to a select few. Huang underscores why it's important for employers to address workplace favoritism. 'Whether it's freelancing, remote work or launching a small business, today's workforce is taking control where traditional employers fall short. If companies don't address favoritism with real accountability, they risk losing top talent to the gig economy, one hustle at a time.'
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Five Ways To Make More Money If You're Underpaid at Work
According to Zety's Pay Gaps & Perceptions Report, 32% of Americans feel they get paid less money compared to their peers, with 77% admitting that their dissatisfaction with pay has negatively impacted their productivity levels on the job. The Career Gridlock Report from Resume Now found that 60% of employees have stayed in jobs longer because they felt it would be too challenging to make a career transition. It's worth mentioning that 66% of respondents acknowledged that a career change would improve their happiness, but only 13% have made the switch. If you feel underpaid and ready to increase your income, here are five ways to make more money even if you're not prepared to switch employers. Discover Next: Check Out: Ben Walker, financial expert and CEO of Ditto, shared that you'll want to focus on trying to negotiate a higher salary by asking for a raise if you feel underpaid. To get a raise, you'll want to get some market research data to back up your request and show that you're objectively underpaid. 'Another data-backed way to show this is negotiating for performance-based bonuses based on specific metrics,' he added. 'You can also go for an internal promotion to another role with higher pay.' If you find negotiating a higher salary isn't an option, you'll want to pursue the other moves in this article. Read Next: 'Employers reward employees who bring greater value to the business,' said Ed Huang, side hustle and finance expert at 'If you pursue certifications, training sessions or online courses — such as Udemy or LinkedIn Learning — in high-demand fields such as data analytics, AI or project management, you'll definitely stand out.' You'll want to start by looking into certifications and courses that could make you more valuable at your current job or help you land a higher-paying gig. For example, learning about AI chatbots and data analytics could help you land a role in prompt engineering, which can pay between $62,977 and $136,141 annually, according to Coursera. Some employers offer financial assistance for education so you can upgrade your skills without spending your money. The goal is to find ways to invest in yourself today to make more money tomorrow. Keith Spencer, career expert at Resume Now, noted that career changes are more socially acceptable and alternative pathways like freelancing are making career transitions more feasible. 'The key to overcoming career gridlock is to take a strategic approach,' he added. 'By building financial stability, leveraging skills-based learning and exploring career shifts through freelancing or contract work, professionals can reduce risk while moving toward more fulfilling roles.' The best part about freelancing is that you can offer services related to your current field on the side if you're not ready to switch careers and don't want to change employers. Huang added that freelancing work can be done by writers, graphic designers, administrative assistants, customer care representatives, etcetera. You can find work on platforms like Fiverr, Upwork or According to ZipRecruiter, the pay for freelance graphic design is $35 per hour. However, the amount you earn will depend on the service you offer and your level of expertise. You'll want to ensure that your freelance services are in your area of expertise. If you specialize in human resources, you can help people with resume writing services. If you work in accounting, you can help out during tax season with filing income taxes. If you're underpaid at your day job, you can turn to side hustles to bring in extra money and try to build a business without giving up your main gig. A side hustle will allow you to boost your income and pursue a passion project. Here are some common side hustles worth looking into: Selling digital products online, if you have time to build a business. Selling digital products, like e-books, templates or courses, is a side hustle stream worth looking into. According to ZipRecruiter, average pay for digital sales is $24 per hour, but it will depend on how much you excel at marketing. Reselling items online. You can make money by reselling items you find on clearance at a higher price. You can find items at thrift shops or clearance sections and then sell them on Facebook Marketplace, eBay or Poshmark. ZipRecruiter states a reseller can make around $33 per hour, depending on what kind of products you can find. Look into the gig economy. Huang pointed out that the gig economy also provides several additional income sources outside your full-time job if you're looking for instant access to cash. You can make $18 per hour as a food delivery person in your spare time, per ZipRecruiter. 'If you're an expert on a topic — such as fitness, personal finances or graphic design — you can package your expertise into a course and sell it over and over again without much additional effort,' Huang said. 'Platforms such as Gumroad, Teachable or Udemy make this a smooth process.' The goal is to find a topic you can be an expert in to bring money in your spare time through a side hustle venture. If you're not getting paid enough and have little spare time, you can consider building passive income streams to make money while you sleep. The good news is that you can start building passive income with minimal risks. Huang pointed out that investing in high-yield savings accounts or dividend stocks makes it easy to earn money without any effort if you want to get started. If you have the capital, consider investing in real estate or purchasing a business that generates recurring income. You can outsource some management and list your spare room on Airbnb to turn a space into passive income. You can rent out storage space, tools and cameras on platforms like Neighbor or Fat Llama. There's likely a way that you can turn your current resources into passive income. These simple strategies can help you earn money without any additional effort so that you can supplement your salary. More From GOBankingRates 5 Types of Vehicles Retirees Should Stay Away From Buying 4 Housing Markets That Have Plummeted in Value Over the Past 5 Years 3 Changes That Could Be Coming to Social Security Now That Congress Is Republican 7 Tax Loopholes the Rich Use To Pay Less and Build More Wealth This article originally appeared on Five Ways To Make More Money If You're Underpaid at Work
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Passive Income Streams You Already Have (And How To Maximize Them)
Income is good, but passive income is the best, especially when you already have multiple streams set up. If you are saying to yourself 'but I don't have any passive income right now,' you might want to take a closer look at your finances. Chances are you already have several additional sources of revenue working behind the scenes. Now is your chance to maximize your potential earnings. Check Out: Read Next: 'The key to getting the most out of these passive income streams is to treat them as free money,'' explained Ed Huang, side hustle and finance expert at 'Don't use rewards and cash back as excuses to purchase more. Rather, utilize these strategies in a way that saves, reinvests or grows your money in the long run.' Here is what Huang pointed out as passive incomes you might not know you already had and how to take full advantage of them. Numerous credit cards, supermarkets and retailers offer cash-back rewards or points, Huang highlighted. 'Provided that you are strategic about using them and spend the rewards on necessities such as groceries or gas, then you have the opportunity to free up cash that you can save,' Huang said. 'A number of cards allow you to convert points back into credits on your bills, which decreases your bill payment each month,' Huang added. 'However, the major risk is overspending in order to earn points — this contradicts making extra money.' Explore More: Rakuten, Honey and Ibotta are all platforms that reward you with money back when you shop through their apps, according to Huang. 'When purchasing necessities, why not receive some money back?' Huang asked. 'Sign-up bonuses in banks also reward you with free money if your deposits meet their requirements. Keep in mind that some of these bonuses come with restrictions, such as having to maintain a large balance in your account or incurring charges if your balance falls short.' Huang explained that platforms such as Rocket Money or Truebill monitor your current subscriptions and can reduce your bills. 'You can save some extra cash by canceling unwanted subscriptions and depositing it into a high-yield savings account or in stock dividends. Some services do charge a portion of your savings, so keep an eye out for that,' Huang noted. 'If you have some old gift cards that you won't use, sell them online through platforms such as CardCash or Raise and receive cash for them,' Huang said. 'Also, with store credits or refunds, you can purchase products that you can resell and convert them into real money.' Huang pointed out that the drawback with this passive income strategy is you'll sometimes receive less than what your gift cards/store credits were worth, and some resale websites take a percentage of your earnings. 'Most people own things that they don't even realize they can make money off of,' Huang said. 'If you have something like a driveway, tools or even extra internet bandwidth, websites such as Neighbor, Fat Llama or Honeygain can help you rent them out to make some extra money.' On the flip side, Huang cautioned that anyone going this passive income route ensure that assets receive proper maintenance and consider any tax regulations. More From GOBankingRates Who Would Benefit the Most from Trump's Social Security Tax Plan 3 Reasons Retired Boomers Shouldn't Give Their Kids a Living InheritanceI'm a Retired Boomer: 6 Bills I Canceled This Year That Were a Waste of Money This article originally appeared on The Passive Income Streams You Already Have (And How To Maximize Them) Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
5 Ways You Can Create Your Own ‘Stimulus Check' in 2025
Government stimulus money is that which comes during challenging economic times to help stimulate the economy by putting more money into Americans' pockets. The last time the federal government did this was during the pandemic, when three rounds of stimulus were sent out in varying amounts to qualifying individuals and families, ranging from around $500 to $1,400. Though many people are feeling financially strapped due to high costs of living, the economy is actually doing quite well by most factors, meaning a government stimulus is unlikely to be forthcoming anytime soon. However, there are ways you could potentially create your own 'stimulus' through investing and other opportunities this year. Find Out: Read Next: 4 Unusual Ways To Make Extra Money That Actually Work Ed Huang, an expert in finance and side hustles at suggested that if you want to make some 'bonus money' start by looking into dividend-paying stocks. 'Invest in trusted companies that pay you just for owning their stock,' he said. He likened this to becoming a kind of 'side investor' and if you do it well, those quarterly payments can feel like free money, just for being smart with your money. See More: There are side hustles and then there are in-demand side hustles — people who are good at staying on top of trends can pick up side work that quickly grows lucrative. If you've got any kind of expert knowledge, you might be able to build a quick online course. If you've got tech skills, or a deep understanding of artificial intelligence (AI), you might be able to parlay that into side work for companies or entrepreneurs who need contractors. But also look to your local community: Are Uber and Lyft drivers in scarce supply? Do elderly residents need personal shoppers or people to tend their lawns? Side hustling can be as much about looking to fill a need as it is about making money. Another strategy is to use cash-back credit cards and rewards apps, Huang said, which 'can change your everyday spending into a clever side job.' Things that you pay for with a cash-back card like Rakuten or Ibotta give you money back for things you would buy anyway (like groceries, gas or office supplies). However, be smart with those credit cards. That cash back won't count if you carry a balance and end up racking up interest on top of your payments. A great way to make money out of almost thin air is to sock as much of your savings as you can into high-yield savings accounts or certificates of deposit (CDs). Here, just by putting your money in the right place, you can earn significant interest. Beyond the obvious rentals, like a property or room through rental platforms, a way to bring in extra cash is to rent out things you own, Huang said. Everything from your car on Turo, your tools or equipment on sites like Fat Llama or your yard for events through apps like Sniffspot. More From GOBankingRates 4 Low-Risk Ways To Build Your Savings in 2025 3 Things You Must Do When Your Savings Reach $50,000 This article originally appeared on 5 Ways You Can Create Your Own 'Stimulus Check' in 2025 Sign in to access your portfolio
