Australia’s labour market is often measured through familiar indicators such as employment growth, wages, participation and productivity. But one trend is becoming harder to ignore: the growing number of Australians working more than one job. Behind the headline figures is a broader shift in how people are approaching work, income and flexibility, and it is prompting employers to rethink what today’s workforce really looks like.
For some, holding multiple jobs reflects choice. It can offer variety, extra income or a way to build experience across different roles. For others, it may point to financial pressure, reduced hours in a primary role or the need for more flexibility. Whatever the reason, the trend is no longer sitting on the margins of the labour market. It is becoming a more visible and consistent feature of working life in Australia.
That matters because a workforce made up of more people balancing two jobs can change everything from engagement and retention to scheduling and workforce planning. It can also challenge long-held assumptions about loyalty, career progression and what workers need from employers in order to stay.
“There were 976,400 multiple job-holders, representing 6.5% of employed people in Australia.”
On a recent AU Market Update, Host Suhini Wijayasinghe, Head of HR Solutions, was joined by Guest Mark Smith, Chair, to explore what the latest ABS data tells us about multiple job-holding in Australia and what this shift could mean for employers in the year ahead.
One of the clearest takeaways is the scale of the trend. In December 2025, there were 976,400 multiple job-holders across Australia, up slightly from 972,400 in September 2025. The multiple job-holding rate remained at 6.5% of employed people. While that may not seem dramatic at first glance, it becomes far more significant when viewed over time. Between 1994 and 2019, the rate generally sat between 5.0% and 6.0%. After a sharp dip during the pandemic, it climbed again and has remained between 6.4% and 6.7% since June 2022. This suggests that working more than one job is not simply a temporary response to economic disruption. It is increasingly looking like an ongoing part of the labour market.
The gender split adds another important layer. Women continue to be more likely than men to hold multiple jobs, with rates of 7.1% and 5.8% respectively in December 2025. Over the past five years, the rate for women has consistently remained higher. This points to the reality that multiple job-holding is not being experienced evenly across the workforce. It may be influenced by the sectors women are more likely to work in, the availability of part-time roles and the broader challenge of balancing work with other responsibilities. For employers, that is a reminder that workforce trends need to be read through a human lens, not just a statistical one.
Age is another defining factor. Australians aged 20 to 24 were the most likely to work multiple jobs, with a rate of 10.5%, compared with just 3.3% for those aged 65 and over. Younger workers are clearly far more likely to combine roles, whether to boost income, gain experience or create more flexibility in the early stages of their careers. That has major implications for attraction and retention. Employers trying to engage younger talent may need to recognise that for many workers in this age bracket, one role may not be the whole picture.
The industry breakdown also tells a compelling story. Agriculture, forestry and fishing recorded the highest multiple job-holding rate at 8.9%, followed closely by administrative and support services and arts and recreation services, both at 8.8%. Accommodation and food services, health care and social assistance, and education and training also sat above the national average. These are sectors where casual work, variable hours, seasonal demand or portfolio-style careers are more common. In that context, multiple job-holding may not be an outlier at all. It may simply reflect how work is structured.
Occupation data reinforces this further. Community and personal service workers were the most likely occupational group to hold multiple jobs, with a rate of 10.7%, while machinery operators and drivers were the least likely at 3.9%. The contrast is a useful reminder that the experience of work differs significantly across roles and industries. A standard approach to retention or workforce planning is unlikely to work everywhere. Employers need to understand the patterns shaping their own sector if they want to respond effectively.
There is another insight worth paying attention to. Many multiple job-holders are not moving across completely unrelated industries. In sectors such as health care and social assistance, education and training, accommodation and food services, and retail trade, second jobs are often found within the same or closely related industries. That suggests multiple job-holding is often about piecing together workable hours, income and continuity rather than chasing something entirely different. It also means employers may be competing for talent not just across broad labour markets, but within their own immediate sector.
For business leaders and HR teams, the message is clear. If more Australians are balancing multiple roles, then organisations need to look more closely at what workers are asking for and what might be missing from the primary employment experience. Flexibility, pay, hours, career development and employee value propositions all come into sharper focus when workers feel the need or desire to look elsewhere for something additional.
What should employers do if working more than one job is becoming the new normal?
- Review whether your workforce model assumes employees are fully available outside their primary hours
- Consider whether pay, flexibility or roster design could be pushing workers to seek additional roles
- Watch for fatigue, engagement and wellbeing risks in teams where second-job holding may be common
- Tailor retention strategies for younger workers and female-dominated teams where multiple job-holding is more prevalent
- Benchmark your sector against the latest labour market data to understand where the real pressure points sit
- Build clearer career pathways so employees can see long-term opportunity within your organisation
