You're starting a side hustle. That's good! It's going great. You must go! Tell your boss about it. What are you talking about?
It's important to let your manager know about your new venture. It's important to make sure that your side hustle is within the bounds of your company's policies. Most employers don't ban side hustles, but they often restrict the type of work you're able to do so that it doesn't pose a conflict of interest.
According to a survey conducted by The Harris Poll, more than half of adult US workers are likely to take on a second job next year. The question of when and how to address a side hustle with managers is becoming more pressing because of inflation and the risk of a possible recession.
Trust is built by being transparent with your boss. Susie Moore, a business coach and the author of " What If It Does Work Out?: How a Side Hustle Can Change Your Life," said that you wouldn't want your manager to find out about your side hustle on social media.
Moore said to be upfront and honest. A side hustle is a worthwhile endeavor that shows you have initiative.
Insider spoke with three experts, including anentrepreneur who took her side hustle full time, who shared their advice and tips on how to have a productive discussion with your manager.
According to research done by a professor at the University of Iowa's Tippie College of Business, employees don't want their bosses to know about their side hustle. Some people didn't want their managers to think they didn't have enough to do. People were worried about being judged for having a side hustle.
The ideal-worker norm is their biggest concern. She said that ideal employees are devoted to their jobs. Some worry that having a side hustle may be a sign of not being committed.
30% of managers were unbothered if the side hustle didn't interfere with their jobs, and 20% thought it wasn't their business. Some managers were worried about their employees' side hustles taking time away from the organization.
She said that knowing potential reservations can help you decide how to broach the topic.
Moore said to keep quiet until you're sure you're going to do it. "You don't want to have a conversation with your boss about something that's not going to work out in the long run."
She said that if your side hustle is doing well, you should mention it immediately.
Don't give too much information when figuring out what to say. Moore said to say something like, "There's this exciting thing that I do on evenings and weekends, and I find that I use new skills that I learn in my day job."
Don't be apologetic or act like you're asking for permission, but there's also no need to be too nice. Don't tell people that your side gig is your life's passion, and that you can't wait to do it full time.
Bosses who are greenlight side hustles want you to focus on work. Your boss might think you're not focused if you make a mistake or perform poorly.
Maintaining a strong level of performance is important. Don't let deadlines get in the way of meeting your goals. If you have a good relationship with your boss, you might want to discuss the benefits of the side hustle with him.
She said to highlight how learning can help you be more satisfied with life and work.
That's how Calveiro put her side job in front of her manager. Calveiro started The Marketable Millennial to break down the barriers to social-media influencing. She told her boss that she was able to develop new skills because of her venture.
She said the experience she gained building her brand on social media, fostering a community, and marketing herself helped her do the same with clients at her full time job. Other teams at her company asked her to help improve their own results when Calveiro's social platforms began to grow. Calveiro was able to help the company while also building her own.
Setting parameters on how you'll divide your time and energy is important to make sure your boss knows how you're reinforcing those boundaries.
Calveiro believes in energy management and time management. She said that sometimes the tasks that drain your energy should be saved for the weekends so that you don't sacrifice your energy for work.
She said she would come back for her lunch break if she tried to do it in between lunch breaks. You want to protect your employer's space, you want to protect your own side-hustle space, and the more you can't mix them, the better.
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