Professional Polygamy: One in 10 People Who WFH Have Taken on a Side Hustle, Confirms Survey

One in 10 UK employees working from home have taken on a side hustle to help boost their income, with over a third admitting to earning this additional income whilst on the clocks with their main employer, a new study has revealed.

The latest research from The Global Payroll Alliance (GPA), revealed  that 71% of full-time workers continue to maintain a degree of working from home, with as many as one in five working from home all of the time. But this flexible working arrangement has led to a notable degree of professional polygamy, with one in 10 of those surveyed admitting to having a side gig or second job that allows them to generate additional income.

Whilst just 1% of those with an additional job said they are working on a full-time basis with a second employer, 26% are doing so on a part-time basis, with the remaining 72% having started their own venture or invoicing an employer via their own company. Most notably, more than a third (34%) admit to spending time on their side hustle while on the clock with their main employer.

SIDE HUSTLES FOR EXTRA CASH

When it comes to the additional income earned, 64% say it is only equivalent to as much as 5% of their total annual earnings, while for 19% it’s equivalent to up to 10% of income. However, some are bringing in substantially more. In fact, 14% say their side hustle accounts for up to a quarter of their income, a further 2% say it equates to up to 50%, and for 1%, their additional work brings in more than half of their annual earnings.

Yet despite the unconventional double lives, most workers seem to be pulling it off. 42% describe the balance between jobs as “easy,” while another 37% say it’s “workable.” Only one in five (20%) admit that managing two roles is “challenging,” “stressful,” or “almost impossible.”

HUSTLE CULTURE AT WORK

What’s driving this hustle culture? Income, unsurprisingly. While 64% say their secondary earnings add up to just 5% of their annual salary, a notable minority are seeing far greater returns. 14% report earning up to a quarter of their total income from side gigs, and 3% say their side hustle actually makes up more than half of their yearly income.

For many, this isn’t about ambition – it’s about survival. Melanie Pizzey, CEO and founder of the Global Payroll Alliance, believes the trend exposes deeper financial insecurity in the workforce.

“If people were earning enough money from their main job, would so many be looking for ways of topping up their income? It’s unlikely,” Pizzey said. Employers should see this not just as a productivity issue, but as a signal that compensation may not be keeping pace with living costs, she notes. “So perhaps rather than being a damning accounting of our professional polygamy, this survey should be food for thought for employers who don’t provide their staff with enough money to survive and thrive in the modern world.”

AI TOOLS SUPPORTING SIDE HUSTLES

Some workers are turning to tech to make it work. In fact, 15% admit to using AI tools like ChatGPT to help manage their growing to-do lists, both for their main job and their side hustle.

The real challenge for most isn’t about loyalty – it’s about stamina. Nearly a third (29%) say burnout is the biggest issue with managing dual workloads, while 15% struggle with scheduling. Interestingly, only 1% say their productivity suffers in their primary role – suggesting that, for many, the main job still takes precedence.

THE FUTURE OF WORK

As companies grapple with the implications of distributed work, the lines between professional obligations and personal enterprise are becoming increasingly blurred. Whether employers crack down on dual employment or embrace it as part of a broader shift toward autonomy remains to be seen.

But one thing is clear – side hustles aren’t just passion projects anymore. They’re a pragmatic response to modern working life.

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