Data reveals an increasing number of Australians are juggling dual roles as they deal with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis in the latest release from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The ABS strung together figures sourced from its Labour Account, Labour Force Survey, and Jobs in Australia data, announcing there were 947,300 multiple job-holders in March 2023.
This equates to 6.6 per cent of all employed Australians, and when breaking down the figures, 7.7 per cent of women and 5.7 cent of men are among the growing cohort of individuals multitasking in the job market.
This stands in contrast to the 13 million who continue to hold a single job role in the country.
Industry, occupation and sex
Those balancing multiple jobs usually commited 30.9 hours to their primary role and an additional 9.6 hours to their secondary job, resulting in a total of 40.5 hours per week. In comparison, their single-role counterparts dedicate an average of 35.5 hours weekly.
The latest data also showed that the younger demographic is at the forefront of juggling dual roles, with 8.9 per cent of individuals aged 20-24 and 7.9 per cent within the 15-19 age bracket.
It also found that those working in a community or a personal service role were more likely to hold another job, at 10.2 per cent.
People working in agriculture, forestry, and fishing, along with administrative and support services, have experienced a surge in multiple job-holding rates, reaching a peak of 9.2 per cent and 9.1 per cent, respecively, in March.
Multiple job-holding was least common among people whose main job was in electricity, gas, water and waste services.
The bigger picture
The latest results come from a combination of research collected up to and including March 2023, with the June 2023 issue set to be released in September.
The results are also compared to the numbers collated in December 2022, which showcase a 2.1 per cent jump from then until now, arriving back at average levels seen from 1994 all the way through to 2019.
The current numbers underline a 2.1 per cent rise compared to December 2022, when there were 927,900 multiple job holders.
This shift towards multiple job roles could be influenced by the challenges posed by the rising cost of living, prompting individuals to seek alternative income streams.