Moonlighting refers to a person who is working in a company covertly working with another organisation simultaneously. Individuals do this to supplement their primary source of income. There have been several instances of employees facing disciplinary or legal action by the primary company for breaking the employment contract by picking up another job. The manufacturing survey was conducted by Valuvox on behalf of Indeed among 1,281 employers and 1,533 jobseekers and employees in FYQ2 of 2023. The survey respondents were segregated into cities, and further categorised into large, medium, and small organisations, and then into sectors.
“The attitude towards moonlighting varies across sectors, with the IT and manufacturing sectors leading the opposition; 93% and 79% of employers in these segments, respectively, expressing disapproval,” says Sashi Kumar, Head of Sales, Indeed India. “Only 21% of manufacturing employers view moonlighting as ethical. The report also showcased a 3% decrease in the proportion of IT employees in favour of moonlighting, due to destabilising factors such as layoffs and recessionary trends. Another indicator of the level of prevalence is that nearly two out of three people (64%) who work in the sector have someone moonlighting in the first degree of known people (directly known to them).”
The report showed a sharp contrast towards moonlighting in industries characterised by a gig-oriented employment nature. According to the findings, 66% of employers in logistics, 52% employers in retail e-commerce and 48% employers in the travel industry said moonlighting neither violated employment contracts nor was considered unethical.
“The perception of moonlighting, a trend which picked up during the pandemic, has significantly evolved across sectors. In industries characterised by gig-originated employment, the majority of the employers are accepting of moonlighting. However, with concerns of profit margins, productivity or time and cost overruns, amid destabilising factors such as layoffs and recessionary trends, industries like IT and manufacturing are becoming increasingly averse of moonlighting. Bridging this perception gap and fostering understanding is vital to address moonlighting in the modern workforce,” adds Kumar.
Meanwhile, the report added that India’s manufacturing sector witnessed a 36% increase in job postings. It indicated that production or manufacturing remained one of the most hired functional areas in the past year. However, the data showed that while hiring in this sector has experienced a steady upswing, there was a degrowth of 3% in job seekers’ interest for manufacturing jobs, leading to a 40% talent mismatch in this sector. “The growth in demand for manufacturing jobs is a positive sign for India’s economy. As the country strives to position itself as a global export leader, it is crucial to address the talent mismatch to ensure that the industry continues to grow. Investment in upskilling will create a skilled talent pool that correctly understands technology to ensure higher efficiency without leading to an unnecessary loss of jobs. Advocacy for upskilling and reskilling programmes can help bridge the gap between job seekers and employers, and the government’s efforts in promoting the manufacturing industry can provide a conducive environment for job creation,” added Kumar.
