Managing Performance When an Employee Has a Second Job
Question
One of our employees has taken on a second job, and I’m concerned the additional work might hurt their performance or interfere with their work for us. What do you recommend?
Answer
If you haven’t had previous issues with this employee’s performance, I wouldn’t worry too much about their taking a second job. Side jobs are common, and many people manage them just fine. You can certainly reiterate your performance expectations, whether that’s completing assignments on time, immediately responding to messages, or meeting production quotas.
If at some point the quality of this employee’s work does begin to suffer, I would meet with them sooner rather than later to address the issue. A simple warning may be enough to get their performance back on track. Other options might include a performance improvement plan or a modified schedule that helps them better balance the two jobs.
Another consideration you might make is whether there are additional job opportunities at your place of employment that would appeal to this employee. Chances are they’ve taken a side job to earn extra pay, expand their network, or enhance their work experience. Those may be goals you can help them achieve so they don’t have to look for work elsewhere.
