Absolutely not surprised to read this — and I doubt many of you are either.
Cost-of-living pressures are rewriting the rules of work in Australia, and a new report from Employment Hero has confirmed what many of us have been feeling for a while: juggling multiple jobs is no longer the exception, it’s becoming the norm.
📊 34% of Australians Now Have a Second Job
Let that sink in — more than one in three Aussies (34%) are now holding down two or more jobs just to keep up with living costs. And the numbers are even higher among younger Australians — a staggering 56% of those aged 18–24 are working multiple jobs.
Australia isn’t alone either. The report shows similar trends in Canada (36%) and New Zealand (33%), revealing that “poly-employment” — yep, that’s the term now — is a growing global reality.
And it’s not just anecdotal. The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows 948,000 multiple job holders across the country as of June 2025 — that’s 6.4% of all employed Australians.
🎯 Sydney vs Melbourne Salaries: A Changing Tide
Even two years ago, we would have said Sydney salaries were consistently 10–20% higher than those in Melbourne — particularly in PR, advertising, and marketing.
But fast forward to today, and the landscape has shifted. Melbourne salaries have overtaken Sydney in many of these sectors. The question is: how did we get here?
🔥 Burnout Is the New Normal
With inflation still biting and interest rates holding firm, full-time salaries just aren’t cutting it for many. The Employment Hero report highlights the story of 34-year-old Liam, an instructional designer by day, tutor by night, and freelance music training guide creator on the side.
“There’s just no way we can afford the life we want in Sydney without extra income,” he said.
This isn’t just about ambition or hustle anymore — it’s about survival.
📉 Employers, Take Note
The report also cites the casualisation of the workforce and fewer average hours worked per employee as key trends. In other words, people aren’t just choosing to work multiple jobs — they’re being pushed into it by job insecurity and rising costs.
Ben Thompson, co-founder and CEO of Employment Hero, calls this shift “big news” — and he’s right.
“It’s a signal people are making big personal trade-offs to cope with the cost of living.”
The International Labour Organisation has also weighed in, noting that non-standard work — think contract, freelance, gig-based — is becoming a defining feature of modern labour markets.
And for employers? That means accepting a new workforce reality:
“The multi-job worker may soon be the norm, not the exception.”
This trend tells us a lot — about economic pressure, generational shift, and the future of work. Whether you’re an employer, employee, or somewhere in between, it’s a sign of the times we can’t ignore.
Has the side hustle become a survival strategy? Or is this the new professional normal?
👇 Would love to hear your thoughts. Are you juggling more than one role? Are you seeing salary shifts in your industry?
Iceberg is Melbourne’s go-to recruitment company! Specialising exclusively in recruiting for digital, marketing, PR, digital, experiential & advertising jobs. Permanent, freelance and contract roles are available! Sign up for our weekly newsletter HERE.
