The Tribune

By Ian Ferguson

In every sector of our corporate environment, moonlighting has become a consistent mainstay, with many persons enjoying the benefits of receiving two and three salaries at any one given time. While many persons in senior leadership and human resources departments frown upon this, there are advantages for both the individual - and the company - that might encourage this practice.

Our dialogue today explores the pros and cons, both perceived and actual, of an individual who takes on two and three jobs.

Money is still the leading factor motivating persons to seek employment outside their main job. The chief breadwinner for the home, particularly with an expanding family and the constantly increasing cost of living, finds it almost necessary to supplement their salary with a second job. For some this employment is seasonal, and does not conflict with normal work. For example, many teachers during their Christmas and summer breaks find work for the weeks and months they have off.

Additionally, persons use a second place of employment as their safety net and a means of securing themselves in the event of termination. Having a second job provides individuals with a greater degree of freedom, and psychologically allows them to not feel tied to one place of business. This second place of employment is often a hobby or place where they exhibit their true and innate gifts, yet they cannot rely solely upon this profession for their entire income.

A second job often provides the individual with an avenue to acquire new skills. This building of capacity in the employment arena proves beneficial to aging employees who want to remain vibrant and current, as well as young workers who are looking for extra cash.

But, while there are advantages to having a second job, the cons are just as real and worth considering.

Limited time is one of the greatest drawbacks to having a second job. Working 40 hours per week, and then finding an additional 20-40 hours to commit to another company, will significantly cut into rest time, family time and leisure time - which are all vitally important to healthy and productive living.

There is often a direct conflict of interest in working a second job. Consulting for a direct (or even indirect) competitor can put you in a dicey situation, as important trade secrets, such as sales and marketing strategies, can more easily be traded by an employee trading their services.

The greatest fear for the employer, hence the numerous policies restricting moonlighting, is performance slippage by an overwhelmed employee, who cannot afford to give up the second job, yet cannot balance the demands from their two places of employment. Burn out is a real challenge, as both companies will require your full attention, devotion and loyalty.

Scripture provides this warning: No man can serve two masters, for either he will love the one and hate the other. In the decision making process of whether to take a second job or not, please do all of the following:

• Pick an unrelated field (avoid at all cost any conflict of interest).

• Consult your human resources department (ensure you are within your company’s policy confines).

• Sit down with the people you know and trust, and evaluate why you are taking on a second job. If this requires too much of your time and energy away from your wife, children and family, some life and budget adjustments may need to be made.

• NB: Ian R. Ferguson is a talent management and organisational development consultant, having completed graduate studies with regional and international universities. He has served organsations, both locally and globally, providing relevant solutions to their business growth and development issues. He may be contacted at tcconsultants@coralwave.com.