One in three Aussies working multiple jobs due to cost-of-living pressures

Rising living costs are forcing Aussies like Brittany Roulston to rethink their careers, as one surprising trend takes hold and reshapes workforces.

One in three Aussies now hold multiple jobs, as cost-of-living pressures force workers to spread themselves thinner than ever.

More Australians are also relying on on-demand pay to make ends meet and have given up chasing their dream role in favour of job security, research reveals.

Employment Hero’s annual jobs report paints a bleak picture for workers, with poly employment now the norm.

A third of workers in either full-time or part-time employment are juggling multiple roles – a trend that rises to 56 per cent among 18 to
24-year-olds.

Stung by spiralling living costs, workers are also depending on earned wage access programs to withdraw part of their salary before their regular payday, the report finds.

Despite high earnings, Millennials are the most likely to take advantage of immediate access to pay, tapping into EWA programs almost 200,000 times in the past year alone.

Jo Jakobs, professional talent director at recruiter Randstad, said the report was evidence of a “workforce in stress’’.

“Whilst on a surface level we have a strong labour market, if you dig a little deeper you see there are people who have no choice but to hold down multiple jobs just to make ends meet,’’ she said.

Jo Jakobs, professional talent director at recruiter Randstad, says Australian workers are under stress.

CHOOSING A HEALTHIER PATHWAY

The number of Australians now undertaking multiple jobs was a concern, Ms Jakobs said, urging workers to instead look to higher-paying roles where possible.

“Poly-employment can provide extra income but, when it becomes a necessity rather than a choice, it risks leaving workers stretched too thin,’’ said Ms Jakobs, noting many workers now juggled three jobs simultaneously.

“The disadvantages (of poly employment) are real and include fatigue, reduced family or leisure time and, in some cases, slower progression because energy is split across roles.

“Where possible, securing one role with higher pay and clear growth opportunities is often a healthier pathway – it allows workers to build skills, progress their careers and enjoy more balance.’’

While the research showed 57 per cent of Australians preference stable employment over career progression – jumping to 68 per cent among young workers – Ms Jakobs warned against giving up on landing that dream role.

“It’s understandable that many are prioritising stability right now – in uncertain times, security becomes the foundation people build their lives on,’’ she said.

“My advice would be don’t think of it as abandoning your dream but as taking a strategic step.

“A stable, well-paying role can provide the breathing space and resources to pursue passion projects or career pivots in the future.

“The key is to continue developing skills and networks so you’re ready when the right opportunity comes along.’’

‘FINANCIAL SECURITY IS KEY’: WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

Employment Hero chief executive officer Ben Thompson encouraged workers not to feel defeated if they were forced to take up a job that was far from their ideal.

“We live in the real world and financial security is key,’’ he said.

“But I also think people can see their career as a portfolio, rather than a single bet.

“Take the role that provides stability if you need it but invest in your skills, build side projects and keep your long-term career goals in focus.’’

Mr Thompson said using EWA programs, such as Employment Hero’s InstaPay, to make ends meet was preferable to relying on high-interest credit.

But he urged workers to also utilise employee benefit programs that offered perks and discounts to help with groceries, utilities and other everyday costs, and employer-offered budgeting and financial wellbeing tools.

He said the high number of workers accessing EWA programs may not all be attributed to cost-of-living pressures, with an increasingly “on-demand society’’ also contributing to workers seeking immediate access to earned cash before payday.

Brittany Roulston abandoned a career as a musician in favour of financial security.

‘I REALISED I NEEDED A PROPER JOB’

Brittany Roulston, 28, grew up chasing her dream of a career in musical theatre but after years of performing and struggling financially she went back to university to retrain as a schoolteacher.

Unhappy in her new career, Ms Roulston then tried event co-ordinating until taking on an office manager role at her parents’ water treatment business earlier this year.

“I’m certainly not doing my dream job but … making a full-time living as a musician is probably not going to happen,’’ she said.

“I gave (a music career) a pretty good go and I think if I didn’t have a crack I would have regretted it.’’

Ms Roulston, who is engaged to her partner and hopes to soon start a family, said having a stable income provided peace of mind.

“The dream and the life I want are different – music is taxing on your life in ways people don’t see,’’ she said.

“Living in Sydney, I realised I needed a proper job with security, super, maternity leave and the ability to pay the rent … but music was costing me more than it made me.’’

Originally published as One in three Aussies working multiple jobs due to cost-of-living pressures