Professionals increasingly 'doing the hustle'
More and more professionals are taking on other work alongside their day jobs, looking for more money and creative freedom, recruitment firm Hays says.
Known as a "side hustle," the work is generally a freelance project which the person is passionate about — and it is different to a part-time job.
“Side hustles are about creating assets in a way that you own and control — they’re not about working for another employer in your spare time,” said Hays CEO Alistair Cox. “As such, when you set up a side hustle, you are the master of its destiny, nobody else. It’s yours, and yours alone.”
Side hustles are becoming increasingly popular among professionals, as they can generate extra income in addition to a person’s regular wage and offer professionals with an opportunity to pursue something that they are passionate about outside of work, the recruitment company explained.
Besides, people are going after side hustles out of their cravings for variety and creativity, Hays said. As people are increasingly living longer, they will have to work longer. As a result, professionals will look for more variety in their career and a side hustle can provide that.
Rather than employers being concerned about side hustles, they should embrace the many benefits an employee’s side hustle can bring to their business, Hays said — from employees upskilling themselves, building their confidence, forming a better opinion of who they are and gaining experiences of new environments, problem solving and taking risks independently.
As many as one in four people in the UK are running at least one business project alongside their day job. And in the US, nearly 40 percent of workers have a side hustle, with many more seriously considering it.