DO YOUR TEAM SECRETLY HAVE EXTRA JOBS?

Posted on 23rd October 2023

Did you know that new research from Indeed has shown that nearly one in three UK homeowners approaching the end of their fixed mortgage deals are taking extra work to boost their savings ahead of repayment rises. With more employees taking on additional freelance work and even seconds jobs, we wanted to highlight our top 10 tips for managing this increasing trend.

1. OPEN UP AND BE TRANSPARENT

If you seem unwilling to discuss the issue of your employees undertaking additional freelance work then they’ll likely assume you’re firmly against it. Simply discussing the issue can make the elephant in the room quickly disappear.

2. REMOVE CLAUSES BANNING ADDITIONAL WORK

Banning your employees from carrying out additional freelance work is unlikely to stop them from doing so. These types of contractual bans will likely simply create resentment and a further lack of transparency.

3. RE-ALIGN EXPECTATIONS

More employers are realising that demanding their team work exclusively within their full-time employment contract is an increasingly out of touch position for today’s workforce.

4. DON’T TAKE IT PERSONALLY

Many employees who take on additional freelance work or seconds jobs are happy in their main role and have no intention to leave. Many employers make the mistake of instinctively viewing staff with second jobs as being disloyal and desperate to find an alternate full time position.

5. ARE THEY READY FOR A STEP UP?

Employees taking on additional casual employment could be a potential indicator for internal career progression. Crucially, these employees might be most keen to take that step up in their career within their current organisation.

6. EMBRACE EMPLOYEES BUILDING SKILL-SETS

Employees taking on extra work elsewhere has a major benefit for employers. Employees will build more diverse skillsets and continue to refine their established skills - directly benefitting their work within their full time position.

7. DEFINE WORKING HOURS

Even the most accommodating employers will need to set boundaries for their teams. Staff will need to know that any additional freelance they undertake cannot bleed though into full-time working hours.

8. KEEP AN EYE ON PERFORMANCE

Employees building diversified skillsets won’t be of much use if they’re routinely turning up exhausted and late from burning themselves out. Keep an eye on performance levels to make sure any team members with additional employment aren’t taking on unsustainable workloads.

9. BENCHMARK SALARIES

A team member taking on additional employment could be a potential indicator that they love their full time company but are keen to earn more. This could be a useful time to benchmark salaries to make sure your remuneration packages are still competitive.

10. BE WEARY OF CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS

Employees might need to know precisely what would constitute a ‘conflict of interests’ as this can have widely differing interpretations. Clear definitions and examples in this respect will help ensure everyone understands the boundaries.

WE’RE HERE TO HELP!

Keeping up-to-date with the latest employment trends and understanding the tangible impact they can have on your business is no small feat! For us, keeping at the forefront of these trends is just one part of our service! When we’re hiring for your business, we’re doing so not just with a detailed understanding of your business but also with a detailed understanding of the current jobs market and the latest trends specific to your industry.