Job security took on a new meaning in the past decade. It is rare to find people today who still believe in spending their careers with one employer. This is because job stability is no longer guaranteed in the face of economic instability, increased tech adoption, layoffs, and global competition for talent.
This has contributed to the mainstream adoption of the "hustle culture," which emerged in the early 2010s to celebrate hard work, ambition, and entrepreneurship. Initially, the term was often used to describe the relentless pursuit of success in business, particularly in the tech startup space.
However, given all the earlier-mentioned factors, the hustle culture has extended beyond the realm of entrepreneurship and into the everyday lives of ordinary people trying to make ends meet.
Consequently, the concept of a "side hustle" or "side gig" gained popularity as people strove to supplement their primary income and achieve financial independence, or some variation of it. Whether it involved freelancing or part-time jobs, side hustles became a way for people to diversify their income streams and mitigate the risks associated with relying solely on a single source of income.
Today the emphasis has shifted to individualism, self-reliance, and personal achievements. But these come at a cost.
Some insights from a chat with Precious Mogoli, Editorial Operations Lead, Techpoint Africa, on the latest episode of Modern Workplace Conversations attempt to address this issue, answering the question of whether individuals are winning with side hustles, as portrayed, especially since they have now become more of a necessity than a choice.
Using certain metrics such as health, productivity, quality of outcomes, and reputation, we examine the losers and winners in the hustle culture.
Health: An obvious tradeoff in the hustle culture
When side hustles become the norm, the first casualty is often health, but it is easy to underestimate the physical and mental toll that juggling multiple jobs can take on someone.
As Mogoli indicated, when the talent's health deteriorates, everyone loses. The primary job and the side gig suffer; ultimately, the individual bears the brunt.
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Even for people who have established time management strategies that work, the reality remains that overextending oneself can lead to burnout from accumulated stress and long-term health issues.
"If my health is affected and I can't deliver consistently," Mogoli stressed, "everyone who relies on me suffers, but in the end, I’m the one who bears the ultimate cost."
The high demands of a primary job and side gigs can lead to insufficient rest, poor eating habits, and neglect of self-care.
This outcome isn’t just a personal issue; it’s a professional one. Employers, both in the main job and the side gig, will eventually notice the decline in capacity and productivity, leading to a loss of trust and potential opportunities.
Still, people are drawn in with the allure of extra income. However, as Mogoli admitted, something must give but one's health is a steep price to pay for financial freedom or job security.
In such instances, financial gains soon lose their allure and are quickly overshadowed by long-term health issues that affect a person's quality of life and ability to perform well.
"To think you will do excellently at your nine-to-five, excellently at your side hustle, and have your health intact is a bit of a delusion. Unless, of course, you have more than 24 hours in a day or you're one of the X-Men and you really do not need sleep to function or your body doesn't need to rest for you to function optimally."
Compromised quality of outcomes
One of the arguments against juggling multiple jobs is the illusion of being able to maintain the same quality of work across multiple commitments.
Reflecting on his own experience, Mogoli shared that when it comes down to managing both the primary job and side gigs, the side hustle would often suffer. This is a natural tendency.
As he puts it, "You will prioritise what gives you the larger piece of the cake," especially when you're earning more from your nine-to-five than the side gigs.
When this happens, the quality of work done on a side gig differs greatly from that of the nine-to-five.
However, this doesn't mean the side gig is the entire loser here. When deadlines are close, talents often have divided attention and can't deliver the type of excellent output focusing on one task guarantees.
The broader implication here is that the hustle culture makes it a bit difficult to advance in one's career and puts professional integrity at risk. This is not a win in the long term.
Overall productivity takes a hit
When a person frequently shifts between different tasks—especially those as significant as a primary job and a side hustle—there is a natural decline in efficiency. This means it takes longer to complete tasks, and when they are done, they are often of low quality.
The pressure to perform across several roles can cause a mental strain, leading to burnout and a drop in productivity.
Interestingly, it seems employers have come to accept the possibility that the average employee has more than one job, so they might not always operate at full capacity.
This awareness helps them manage their expectations better, or possibly improve pay to discourage side gigs and ensure that employees are more aligned with the company's goals. No winners emerge here either.
Reputation: Keeping your "good name" while balancing multiple roles
As Mogoli pointed out, reputation is intricately linked to the quality of outcomes and the ability to deliver consistently, which can become a challenge at some point.
One critical insight from him is the idea that "whether my reputation will be negatively impacted is a function of the quality of work that I put out, which is a trickle-down effect of whether I’m taking on more than I can handle."
His advice is to avoid overextending oneself, as this may lead to subpar performances capable of ruining one's reputation.
This is a major concern for employers. If an employee's side hustle begins to affect their primary responsibilities, it could hurt the company's brand and lead to a loss of trust among clients.
It is uncommon to find people who have found a way to balance primary jobs and side gigs.
"Some have hacked it," Mogoli explained, "and if you can hack it and have a system, then the quality of your output will not be affected, and your health will not be negatively impacted. Then, because your productivity is top-notch, you have a reputation for doing good work at the office and on your side gig.
“But the question is, how many people have been able to hack this and have a workable, sustainable system?"
