More than one job is held by 5.6% of Lithuania’s working population, which is higher than the European Union average. However, having a second job today does not necessarily mean that the first salary is insufficient, as people’s motivations are much more diverse. For some, additional income helps to save money or reach a specific financial goal faster, while for others, a second job becomes a way to try out another activity or earn money at a convenient time.
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According to Jurgis Kovas, head of the temporary jobs platform “Workis,” it is currently easiest to find additional work in trade, logistics, manufacturing, catering, and event sectors. In these areas, the demand for workers can change quite quickly, for example, when customer or order flows increase, the season begins, or larger events approach.
Cashiers, sales floor and warehouse workers, parcel sorters, loaders, packers, and auxiliary workers are most often sought. Many of these jobs do not require many years of experience or special qualifications. According to J. Kovas, it is much more important for the employer whether a person can quickly understand specific tasks and start working independently.
“When additional people are needed for a few days or a more intense period, a long selection process simply does not fit. In such cases, responsibility, the ability to keep agreements, and quickly engage in work become the most important. Often, a short training is enough, after which a person can already independently perform the assigned tasks,” says J. Kovas.
Not only students look for additional work. A previous “Workis” survey showed that 46% of office workers would consider such an opportunity. Among full-time specialists and managers, about a quarter would choose an additional workload of 5–12 hours per week, while among students, 53% of respondents would choose this option.
According to J. Kovas, among people looking for additional work, there are also freelancers and parents raising children, so a uniform work schedule would not suit everyone.
“A student may fit a few free evenings between lectures, a full-time worker is more likely to fit individual shifts, and those raising children have to coordinate work with the family schedule. Therefore, it is important not how many hours can theoretically fit into a week, but whether such a workload really fits into a person’s daily life,” explains J. Kovas.
Additional work is worth counting not only in euros
According to J. Kovas, when looking for extra earnings, it is important to distinguish a second permanent job from flexible short-term work. A second permanent job usually means another fixed schedule and long-term commitments, while short-term work allows you to decide when and how many extra shifts to work.
“A significant number of people first choose one or several shifts and only then assess whether such a model suits them. If they see that additional work can be combined with their main activity, they can later choose more shifts. Some work this way a few times a month, others work more intensively only for a certain period. Since the person decides when and how much to work, the additional workload can be adjusted according to their possibilities,” says J. Kovas.
According to J. Kovas, the main risk when combining several jobs arises when the total workload is no longer assessed according to the person’s real capabilities. If additional work is planned without considering the intensity of the main activity and time for rest, it may become harder over time to maintain balance and avoid burnout. That is why flexibility in this case becomes important not only for convenience. The ability to regulate the additional workload yourself allows adapting it to the changing daily life. However, when combining several jobs, it is important to observe established work and rest limits.
The State Labour Inspectorate indicates that when working at several workplaces, the total working time cannot exceed 60 hours within a seven-day period. There must be at least 11 hours of uninterrupted rest between working days, and at least 35 hours of uninterrupted rest must be provided to the employee during seven consecutive days.
Another important aspect is under what conditions the additional work will be performed. “Before starting additional work, it is important to clarify its conditions. First, it is worth knowing whether the work will be done under an employment contract, individual activity, or another basis, as this affects tax procedures, social guarantees, and employee rights and obligations. It is equally important to clarify in advance what the remuneration will be, when payment will be made, and what other working conditions apply,” says J. Kovas and advises choosing reliable, transparently operating employers or platforms.
In J. Kovas’s assessment, opportunities for short-term work may increase in the future also because companies themselves do not always need employees uniformly.
“Businesses often need additional people for a specific period. Workload increases in some places during the season, in others due to promotions, opening of a new division, or another peak in activity. In such cases, the company does not need to increase the team for the whole year, and the person has the opportunity to choose additional work precisely when they can work. As such situations increase, short-term work may become an increasingly common part of the labor market,” the expert concludes.
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