It is the era of hybrid & remote jobs, and most companies find it challenging to manage employees. And now a new adversity has risen, i.e., Employee moonlighting.

Employee moonlighting is holding another job in addition to one’s primary job. It is a common practice among working professionals, and there are several reasons why someone might choose to do it. During this hybrid work times, employers are worrying about “how to deal with employee moonlighting”, once it started affecting the productivity in primary job.

This article will explore the topic of employee moonlighting in-depth, including its types, the reasons for moonlighting and more. Go through the topics and understand what exactly moonlighting is. 

What is Employee Moonlighting?

Employee moonlighting is the practice of working more than one job. The moonlighting Employee usually works full-time and part-time jobs, but some people use the term to describe any situation in which a person works for more than one company. 

Moonlighting includes app development, digital marketing, content writing, online tutoring, campaign management, data analysis, and more. Usually, these jobs will directly relate to the Employee’s abilities and knowledge.

Types of Moonlighting

🌜Blue Moonlighting

A second job may not be successful for everyone. They find it challenging to balance both jobs simultaneously. They become unproductive and incapable of performing well in either role. This failed attempt at dual employment is known as blue moonlighting. 

🌜Quarter Moonlighting

This is when an employee does a part time job after their prime job. Employees here work for 2-4 hours after their primary job without interfering with its productivity.  

🌜Half Moonlighting

Half-moonlighting is the practice of an employee working at their secondary job for longer than is necessary to make additional income. This takes away the importance and sincerity of the primary job.

🌜Full Moonlighting

When a worker effortlessly manages both jobs, we have this situation. Some workers launch side businesses while working part-time employment. The majority of employees manage their own businesses in addition to their jobs.

Why do Employees Go for Moonlighting?

🌟They require another source of money because their current salary is insufficient to cover their necessities. 

🌟They seek to test their abilities through more difficult endeavours or interests.

🌟They are dissatisfied with their present situation. Thus they seek new possibilities to extend their knowledge and experience. 

🌟They are concerned about losing their jobs and job security. Employees prefer moonlighting as a result of recent mass layoffs and salary reductions. 

🌟They might feel undervalued by their employer and seek solace in contributing elsewhere. 

🌟Passion may not always bring in money, but if someone is so committed to it that they can’t stop, they will moonlight. 

How to Deal With Employee Moonlighting?

Dealing with moonlighters is not as easy as you think. But one effective way is to use time tracking software. A time tracking tool provides the feature; automated time tracking, where it tracks time as productive and non-productive. This helps your employees to focus on being productive. 

Further it has features like automated Screenshots, App & URL Tracking, Document Title Tracking, Ip restriction, and more to efficiently track employees restricting them to do anything that harms the company’s productive side. Every company should have a hybrid work policy to manage their employees these times. These hybrid work policies should mention how to deal with the employee moonlighting.

Is Moonlighting Ethical?

While Ethical moonlighting may be conducted with the full knowledge and consent of the individual’s primary employer, it may also be done without their knowledge or consent. Moonlighting can be considered Ethical if it is done in a way that does not interfere with the individual’s primary job or negatively impact their employer. 

For example, if an individual moonlights as a tutor, they would likely not be doing anything that would interfere with their primary job or negatively impact their employer; however, if an individual moonlights as a waitress and works shifts that conflict with their primary job, this could be considered unethical as it would interfere with their ability to do their primary job. 

Winding Up

In conclusion, moonlighting can be a great way to earn extra income without affecting your primary job. However, it is important to be strategic about how you approach moonlighting. Be sure to choose an industry that doesn’t affect your primary job, keeping your moonlighting activities separate from your primary job. This will help you avoid any conflicts of interest or conflicts with your employer.