Higher pay may no longer be enough to persuade some workers to give up additional employment. New JobAssist research suggests that concerns about relying on a single employer are influencing how people think about financial security, even when extra income is no longer essential.
A substantial pay raise might improve a worker's finances without persuading them to give up a second job. With everyday expenses placing pressure on household budgets and concerns about employment stability influencing financial decisions, some workers are becoming reluctant to depend entirely on one paycheck. New research from JobAssist found that 31% of people holding multiple paid roles would continue doing so even if their primary employer increased their salary by 15% to 20%, because they no longer felt comfortable relying on one company for their entire income.
The findings come from a JobAssist survey of 4,960 adults across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union and Australia. All respondents had held a primary job alongside at least one additional paid job or regular freelance role within the past 12 months.
Financial pressure remains the most common reason for taking on additional employment. 61% cited rising living costs, while 39% reported that money originally intended for discretionary purchases or savings was now being spent on ordinary monthly expenses.
That change has implications for how easily workers can reduce their hours or leave additional employment. Income that once financed optional purchases can become necessary to maintain an established household budget. Even workers who originally intended to take on extra work temporarily may find that giving it up requires cutting routine spending.
Concerns about employment stability appear to reinforce that dependence. 42% said they maintained another income source partly because they feared losing their primary job or were concerned about instability at their main employer, even if they could currently manage without the additional earnings.
The distinction helps explain why a larger salary might have limited influence over some workers' decisions. Higher pay can ease immediate financial pressure, but the prospect of losing the job that provides it remains. Maintaining another source of earnings may offer a sense of continuity if primary employment ends unexpectedly, although the survey does not establish how much financial protection that arrangement provides.
For others, additional work emerged from dissatisfaction with their earning prospects. 28% said they had taken on paid work after being denied a raise, promotion or another meaningful increase in income. Meanwhile, 34% reported that extra earnings allowed them to remain in a primary role they liked but that could not independently support their desired standard of living.
These findings suggest that additional employment can make remaining in an otherwise desirable job financially manageable. A worker may prefer to keep their main position while securing the income they need elsewhere, even when compensation is insufficient to support their preferred lifestyle.
The effects also extend to how workers perceive their relationship with employers. 23% said earning income elsewhere made them feel less dependent on decisions made by their primary employer, including unfavorable performance reviews or rejected pay increases. That perception does not necessarily translate into greater negotiating power, but it indicates that some workers associate multiple income sources with greater personal autonomy.
Additional employment is far from universally desirable, however. 36% said they would prefer to return to a single job if their financial situation allowed it. By contrast, 29% would choose to maintain multiple sources of earned income even if one salary became sufficient to meet their needs.
The difference exposes an important divide within the experience of holding multiple jobs. Some workers appear to regard additional employment as a necessity they would willingly abandon. Others attach enough value to having separate income sources that financial sufficiency alone would not persuade them to stop.
The findings cannot determine whether maintaining several jobs ultimately makes workers more financially secure, and stated preferences do not necessarily predict future decisions. They do suggest, however, that the appeal of multiple incomes extends beyond inadequate pay. For workers concerned about the consequences of losing their main job, a higher salary may improve their financial position without restoring their confidence in depending on a single employer.
About JobAssist
JobAssist is an AI-powered job search platform that brings job discovery, personalized matching, applications, and tracking into one place. It helps people find relevant opportunities, understand which roles fit their profile, prepare tailored applications, and apply with less repetitive work. The platform provides access to personalized AI-validated matches, 1-click auto apply, AI-personalized cover letters, a job board, and one place to track applications and emails from recruiters.
Media Contact
Harriet Venter
PR Manager
JobAssist.com
pr@jobassist.com
The findings come from a JobAssist survey of 4,960 adults across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union and Australia. All respondents had held a primary job alongside at least one additional paid job or regular freelance role within the past 12 months.
Financial pressure remains the most common reason for taking on additional employment. 61% cited rising living costs, while 39% reported that money originally intended for discretionary purchases or savings was now being spent on ordinary monthly expenses.
That change has implications for how easily workers can reduce their hours or leave additional employment. Income that once financed optional purchases can become necessary to maintain an established household budget. Even workers who originally intended to take on extra work temporarily may find that giving it up requires cutting routine spending.
Concerns about employment stability appear to reinforce that dependence. 42% said they maintained another income source partly because they feared losing their primary job or were concerned about instability at their main employer, even if they could currently manage without the additional earnings.
The distinction helps explain why a larger salary might have limited influence over some workers' decisions. Higher pay can ease immediate financial pressure, but the prospect of losing the job that provides it remains. Maintaining another source of earnings may offer a sense of continuity if primary employment ends unexpectedly, although the survey does not establish how much financial protection that arrangement provides.
For others, additional work emerged from dissatisfaction with their earning prospects. 28% said they had taken on paid work after being denied a raise, promotion or another meaningful increase in income. Meanwhile, 34% reported that extra earnings allowed them to remain in a primary role they liked but that could not independently support their desired standard of living.
These findings suggest that additional employment can make remaining in an otherwise desirable job financially manageable. A worker may prefer to keep their main position while securing the income they need elsewhere, even when compensation is insufficient to support their preferred lifestyle.
The effects also extend to how workers perceive their relationship with employers. 23% said earning income elsewhere made them feel less dependent on decisions made by their primary employer, including unfavorable performance reviews or rejected pay increases. That perception does not necessarily translate into greater negotiating power, but it indicates that some workers associate multiple income sources with greater personal autonomy.
Additional employment is far from universally desirable, however. 36% said they would prefer to return to a single job if their financial situation allowed it. By contrast, 29% would choose to maintain multiple sources of earned income even if one salary became sufficient to meet their needs.
The difference exposes an important divide within the experience of holding multiple jobs. Some workers appear to regard additional employment as a necessity they would willingly abandon. Others attach enough value to having separate income sources that financial sufficiency alone would not persuade them to stop.
The findings cannot determine whether maintaining several jobs ultimately makes workers more financially secure, and stated preferences do not necessarily predict future decisions. They do suggest, however, that the appeal of multiple incomes extends beyond inadequate pay. For workers concerned about the consequences of losing their main job, a higher salary may improve their financial position without restoring their confidence in depending on a single employer.
About JobAssist
JobAssist is an AI-powered job search platform that brings job discovery, personalized matching, applications, and tracking into one place. It helps people find relevant opportunities, understand which roles fit their profile, prepare tailored applications, and apply with less repetitive work. The platform provides access to personalized AI-validated matches, 1-click auto apply, AI-personalized cover letters, a job board, and one place to track applications and emails from recruiters.
Media Contact
Harriet Venter
PR Manager
JobAssist.com
pr@jobassist.com