Good morning. Many CFOs now rank talent—whether hiring, retention, or skill gaps—as their companies’ top internal risk. And “polyworking,” where employees hold multiple jobs or roles at once to make ends meet, shows no signs of slowing.
Polyworking is likely to continue into 2026, according to Vicki Salemi, a career expert at Monster, the job search and recruiting platform. She points to a recent polywork survey showing that nearly one in two workers hold multiple jobs simultaneously, and 51% say the extra income is “absolutely essential” to cover basic monthly expenses. The findings are based on a survey of more than 700 U.S. workers across industries and experience levels.
“This is underscored by the data point that 38% of respondents said they plan to keep working multiple jobs for the long term, which ultimately points to their salary at their full-time job,” Salemi noted. “As long as workers are underpaid, the data points to polyworking continuing.”
Monster’s Cost of Living Report earlier this year found that 95% of respondents say their wages have not kept up with rising costs. “The pay deficiency triggers financial stress and the pursuit of side hustles,” Salemi said.
Anecdotally, polyworking is concentrated among entry-level workers, she said. Many lack a frame of reference for a traditional 9-to-5 workday. “Their frame of reference is not pre-pandemic of a ‘traditional’ workplace—it’s more fluid, hybrid/remote, and flexible,” she said. “Plus, since they’re digital natives, they may be more interested in pursuing influencer roles and content creation in addition to a full-time job and side hustle.”
