Moonlighting is a hot topic these days and this is pretty common in IT industry because IT job only can be done by just using laptop and internet but these day food delivery or online taxi booking services also available which provide people to work freely in there free time. This article is about moonlighting.

What is Moonlighting ?

If we go with definition moonlighting means you have a second job which you are doing secretly without informing you employer in free time . Free time means in night or weekend not on office hours. This cover any other task from where you are earning like job or any small business or any grocery store . It all consider as a moonlighting .

Types of Moonlighting ?

Actual moonlighting is to work after your job hours but these day due to  some situation people defines 4 types of moonlighting :

1- Blue Moonlighting

Employee get positive appraisal even after that he/she tries to get other part time job but there effort fail due to less competency .

2- Quarter Moonlighting

Employee work after office hours to earn income because current official income is not sufficient for his/her family .

3- Half Moonlighting

Employee work half time in current office and after that work in another job or business.

4- Full Moonlighting

This is completely illegal here employee start his own business or second job and hire freelance people to do his work .

Is Moonlighting ethical ?

For Government sector it is totally illegal because you take take benefit of your position or department. When we talk about private sector or organized sector there is no any certain rule from government but in HR view it is unethical and can not be do without proper consent with employer. Some big companies does not use term moonlighting but they mention in contract or offer letter that you can not work to other company or be a active director of any property firm . In summary mention every thing which comes under moonlighting .

On other hand small and unorganized sector does not care what his employee doing after office hours . So still it is a topic of debate that it is completely ethical or not .

What does moonlighting means to employee ?

In these days due to high inflation and unable to fulfill his needs employee attract towards moonlighting because he has skills and other small companies need there skill but not able to guarantee job security . Always a employee who needs money start work for them and even companies see there profit and hire them instead they know employee work in other company .

An employee sacrifice his sleep, health and weekend to get a decent level of living .

Future of Moonlighting ?

Moonlighting will start of gig culture . Gig culture is that where a single person work for a company or individually work for many companies small small task. It is like you work for a company 1 hour next hour you are working for other company . You can see sites like fiverr offer gig based job only not like a full time freelancer .

Companies will have to pay a decent salary to employees to stop them from moonlighting because at certain point of time it effect there performance and privacy .

Pros and cons of Moonlighting

Pros:

Money:

Earn extra income which can help employee to live a decent life , job will not make you rich and buy both companies you work.

Security

A security that if one job has any issue second job is already there in rainy days .

Freedom

Employee can choose his career path and do which skill he want to work . He she/he not feel well in one company can join another .

New Skill

Work on different projects and environment will teach some new skills which can be beneficial to currents employers too.

Support

Any job required support so if employee moonlighting then she/he has bigger network and bigger network can get more support and better solutions .

Cons:

Conflict of Interest

Focus on different projects on same time can create conflict of interest , so employee can give priority to other tasks and can not give better solution like before.

Performance Slippage

Due to continuous work and work pressure from 2-3 companies can lead to  employee performance  reduce.

Employer’s insecurity

Employer will feel insecure about his privacy and even that employee who is working for him . May be a single mistake can leak company valuable information . And a single bad day with employee can loose a skillful employee.

 Health

Due to continues work and no rest can lead to a unhealthy habit which cause a savior health issues.

Moonlighting can be good if you are not able to fulfill your family goals but if can not be justify over your current employers business loss . It is better to discuss employer and do anything which does not effect negative to anyone.

Let us know in comments what you thing about moonlighting ?