Many employees with side hustles see them as insurance policies, Glassdoor says

Most workers with side hustles aren’t leaving their full-time jobs to become business owners — instead, they’re using their side gigs as insurance policies for financial stability, according to a July 29 report from Glassdoor.

Although the percentage of workers with multiple jobs has increased during the first half of 2025, the applications for new businesses has remained flat. Glassdoor calls these workers “employee+” professionals who are diversifying their income without leaving their primary job.

These workers “view their side hustles as insurance policies rather than stepping stones to full entrepreneurship,” Glassdoor researchers wrote. “While they want the financial security of a steady paycheck, they also want to explore ways to boost income through side hustle opportunities.”

In a survey of more than 800 Glassdoor Community members, 67% said their main motivation for engaging in a side hustle was to boost income, followed by a career pivot, passion project or skill building.

In another Glassdoor Community poll, 27% of respondents said they have a side hustle, primarily to make extra money and have a backup plan as a safety net. Workers noted the “hybrid” benefits of security and opportunity, including advantages such as reduced financial risk, skill development, networking and career flexibility.

Nearly half of workers say they polywork, or hold multiple jobs or roles at one time rather than depend on one primary employer for income, according to a Monster report. Workers said they need the extra money for living expenses, debt, financial independence, a safety net and flexibility.

As more employees take on multiple jobs or work remotely, some companies may question what workers do with their time. However, to enable employee flexibility and autonomy, employees should simply set productivity goals and make sure workers meet them, recruiters told HR Dive.