This section explores the people behind the growing polyworking trend, breaking down how different demographics and industries participate in this work style.

Polyworking has become common, with nearly a quarter of Americans (24%) holding multiple jobs. Women are significantly more likely to polywork than men—26% compared to 18%. Gen X is the generation most likely to have more than one job, followed by Gen Z polyworkers. Millennials are the least likely to be managing multiple jobs.

In terms of industries, tech employees are the most likely to engage in polyworking. This trend reflects the sector’s flexibility and demand for specialized skills, with many tech workers pursuing freelance opportunities or side hustles alongside their full-time roles.

What does side work look like for today’s polyworkers? We next look at the nature of additional jobs and how workers are juggling multiple roles while managing their time.

Freelancing is a popular choice, with 1 in 4 polyworkers taking on freelance gigs alongside their primary job. Others take on an even heavier load—15% of polyworkers hold multiple full-time jobs, navigating the demands of two employers at once. For many, this extra work provides not only financial security but also opportunities to build skills and explore new career paths.

On average, polyworkers clock a total of 50 hours a week across all their roles, and balancing them all can be complicated. In fact, 3 in 5 polyworkers hide side jobs from their primary employers, likely to avoid conflicts over divided attention or company policies that discourage outside work.

Polyworking not only offers financial flexibility and new skill growth but also provides a safety net in uncertain economic times—though it can come at the cost of transparency in the workplace.

Many polyworkers find themselves drawn to even more employment opportunities, seeking to broaden their income streams. But they aren’t alone—workers with only one job are also exploring additional roles.

For 46% of polyworkers, the idea of taking on another job is appealing. Similarly, 49% of single-job workers are interested in adding a second role to their schedules. The cost of living plays a significant role in this interest—over half of those seeking extra work (55%) say it’s essential for making ends meet.

However, managing multiple roles isn’t without its difficulties. Nearly half of polyworkers (49%) report feeling overworked, and 48% struggle to maintain time for their personal lives or families. Burnout is another significant challenge—34% feel worn down by long hours.

Some polyworkers also face unpredictable income from their side jobs (33%), sacrifice hobbies or leisure activities to work (32%), and find balancing multiple work schedules difficult (31%). Over a quarter (28%) are concerned about the stress, lack of sleep, and limited downtime from juggling their responsibilities.

The key to successful polyworking is finding a side hustle that aligns with your personal interests, offers flexible hours, and complements your primary job. This will make it easier to manage responsibilities without sacrificing mental health or personal time.

Managing polyworkers comes with unique challenges and insights. In this section, we explore how managers feel about it.

While polyworking may seem like a gray area to some people, most managers are open to it—3 in 4 have no issues with employees working multiple jobs. In fact, half of managers would encourage polyworkers to prioritize their health, recognizing the importance of well-being when managing multiple roles.

Some challenges arise, however, when employees aren’t upfront about their additional work. Two-thirds of managers have discovered employees working multiple jobs in secret, which can lead to concerns about trust and workload management.

While rare, 7% of managers have fired an employee for taking on side work that interfered with their primary responsibilities. Many managers support employees seeking extra income through polyworking, but maintaining open communication is needed to avoid conflicts and build trust.

We surveyed 1,004 Americans about how many jobs they work. Among them, 51% were men, 47% were women, and 2% were nonbinary or nonconforming. Generationally, 4% were baby boomers, 27% were Gen X, 57% were millennials, and 12% were Gen Z. We also surveyed 207 managers to find out their perceptions of polyworkers. Additionally, 27% of our respondents worked for small companies (1-49 employees), 24% worked for medium companies (50-249 employees), and 49% worked for large companies (250 employees or more). For work environmental analysis, 43% worked in-person, 29% were hybrid workers, and 28% worked remotely.

SideHustles.com is all about turning your skills into cash. Whether you’re just starting or looking to boost your hustle, our site offers trusted advice from people who’ve made it work. We also rate gig economy apps with fair, unbiased rubrics so you can choose the best ones for your needs.

Feel free to share this content for noncommercial purposes—just make sure to credit this page. Understanding the rise of polyworking helps shed light on how modern workers are balancing multiple jobs and managing their finances.