Moonlighting: Low Salaries Forcing People To Work 2 Times As Hard (Quite Literally)

The concept of working more than one job at a time is referred to as “moonlighting.”

According to a recent report by international payroll company ADP Research Institute, over 40% of Indian workers have two or more sources of income, i.e., they are working more than one job at a time. It is the highest number among the 18 surveyed countries by the institute.

One of the main drivers, as mentioned in the report, is the desire for a lush lifestyle. 37% of the respondents mentioned that they were saving for “significant purchases,” and 35% said they hoped to raise their living standards by taking on a second job.

Despite surveying both full-time and gig workers, the “People at Work 2024: A Global Workforce View” report did not specify the proportion of workers that fell into either category.

Gig workers are defined in the report as those who operate as independent contractors, consultants, freelancers, temporary workers, or seasonal employees; they can also be found through online job platforms.

Those with permanent full-time or part-time jobs who are not engaged in the gig economy are referred to as traditional employees.

Moonlighting In India

In the IT segment, a 25% to 30% surge in moonlighting activities has been recorded over the past four years. It has become common practice for employees to have two jobs at a time – usually one full-time, where they are required to contribute for 8-10 hours on a working day, followed by a part-time job or a freelance gig. 

The country’s legislature does not regard moonlighting as illegal for employees in an out-of-factory setting. Factories Act 1948 (Amended 2016) does not allow a factory worker to do two jobs at a time. However, there is no law addressing this issue for office employees.

This concept came into the spotlight ever since the pandemic and the work changes that the pandemic brought forth. 

Employers do not favor this as they do not like the idea of their employees losing focus on the work assigned to them. However, there is no concrete way to track this. Many firms put it in their contract letter, restricting the employees from working elsewhere during the term of employment. It does not, however, stop the employees from pursuing second jobs or gigs.

Wipro, last year, made headlines for firing 300 employees as they worked for its rival companies. They labeled it as simple cheating and an ethics violation.  

The Universal Account Number (UAN) of the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) is one of the easiest ways for a firm to identify whether its employees have dual income sources or not. Moonlighting is explicitly indicated by the presence of two or more PF contributions in the same account, as it is nearly impossible for an employee to establish two PF accounts.

Nevertheless, it is challenging to monitor double employment (or moonlighting) in the absence of a PF facility, such as in the case of freelancing or contractual employment. In that event, an employer may designate a policy violation if the employee utilizes the same company laptop or organizational tools for moonlighting or the same bank account to deposit remuneration.

Employers may also implement third-party agencies for background checks or utilize new technologies to monitor moonlighting. In the event of compromised productivity, critical data leakage, misuse of company resources, or conflict of interests, they have the option to issue a warning or terminate their employment.

Employees Overworked And Underpaid

In comparison to 43% of employees worldwide, 69% of Indian employees believe that they are consistently, frequently, or occasionally underpaid. The percentage for China is a mere 27%, while Singapore’s is 46%.

The following are the findings of a survey conducted by ADP Research Institute, a workforce management solutions firm, between October 28 and November 18, 2022. The survey included 32,612 workers in 17 countries worldwide, with over 8,613 of them working exclusively in the freelance economy.

Pay is currently a subject of great urgency. The cost of essentials, let alone luxuries, is being restricted as a result of soaring food prices, skyrocketing house rents, rising interest rates, and rising energy expenses. Inflation may not revert to more comfortable levels for some time, as it remains historically high in many countries despite having reached its peak.

Indian employees are highly committed to their job positions and responsibilities despite the fact that they perceive themselves as being undervalued. On average, they devote 10 hours and 39 minutes extra to their respective jobs without any pay. In contrast, Singaporeans provide eight hours and 11 minutes of unpaid time per week, while the Chinese provide seven and a half hours, and the Australians provide seven hours and 10 minutes.

Influential People Often Encourage Hyperwork Culture

India, by all textbook definitions and formally by IMF (International Monetary Fund) and WTO (World Trade Organisation), is classified as a “developing” country. According to the GDP numbers, it is the fifth-largest economy in the world, behind the USA, China, Germany, and Japan. 

Given the large population and the fundamental problems in education, health, and other social standards, the journey from developing to developed is undoubtedly no cakewalk. However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), under the PM leadership of Mr. Narendra Modi, has consistently maintained that their government will unquestionably create a “Developed Bharat” by 2047.

One of the most recently renowned MLAs from their party, Kangana Ranaut, recently took the internet by storm by suggesting that an “obsessive work culture” is what we need to emerge victorious as a country on a global scale.

“We need to normalize obsessive work culture and stop with the waiting for the weekends and cribbing about Monday’s memes. That’s all Western brainwashing. We are not a developed nation yet, and we cannot afford to be bored and lazy at all,” mentioned the former actress in her Instagram story.

Before this, Infosys founder Narayana Murthy had mentioned a similar thing, urging youngsters to work for 70 hours a week for the country. 

Such comments are met with extreme public outrage and sarcasm. Many youngsters in the metro cities are already overburdened with work. In small towns and villages, the phrase coined by Jawaharlal Nehru, “Aaram Haraam Hai,” echoes through the lanes.

One of the most remarkable traits of a developed nation is the citizens having a good quality of life – not just in terms of basic social infrastructure but also in terms of lifestyle. What sort of lifestyle can an employee who is overburdened with work lead have? 

Even if the country reaches that stage of economic growth and infrastructure development where it can be called a developed country, on what grounds would that development have been achieved? People working beyond their capacities, leaving no time for their personal lives, eventually giving rise to a crumbling society.

This can be seen in South Korea, where fertility rates have dropped much below the recommended rate for a healthy replacement level. At 0.6 kids per woman, It has the lowest fertility rate of any country in the world. 

South Korea, like any other developing Asian country, has been a destination for overseas corporations to find cheap labor, which essentially means people are putting in more hours and effort for much lower pay.

And today, we all know its dire consequences. The family structure is crumbling, youngsters are perpetually tired, and despite working long hours, a young couple cannot afford to have children emotionally or financially.

Hard work is essential, but acquiring a balance in life is crucial, too. 

Over-Working Is Counterproductive

It is a fact established by many studies around the world, including the research by Stanford University, that proved that the productivity of an individual working a 60-hour workweek was significantly lower than that of one working a 40-hour workweek.

However, for most Indians lying in the lower-income aspirational bracket, this is the only reality. 

The aspiration of having a family and gaining financial independence by a certain age is only achievable for most by means of dual incomes. The soaring inflation and the added pressure of a better and more flashy lifestyle (thanks to social media) means that an individual has to work two jobs, which harms their long-term health.