The new work trend overtaking ‘quiet quitting’ as employees work their side hustle on company time

Australian workers have been caught participating in a new work trend, with some using company time to focus on their side issues.

Millennials and Gen Z workers are among the group of workers across the country who have openly admitted to adopting the trend.

It comes as young workers look for ways to improve work-life balance with “quiet quits” and “absolute Mondays” emerging as trends.

Other workers have been forced to take on second jobs to make ends meet, while cost-of-living pressures continue to mount.

Melbourne worker Amy claims she is past the point of asking for a raise and is working on her part-time job while working at her primary employer.

“I make art for my side job on company time and make the most of flexible hours,” she said news.com.au.

“In my company, most people work from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and I would work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but as long as I look like I’m online at 9:55 a.m., no one else knows.”

Amy also takes time for herself by scheduling fake half-hour meetings before or after lunch and just before the end of her workday.

A survey by comparison site Finder found that 4.8 million workers either have a second job, are working longer hours or have taken early retirement to make ends meet.

Managing Director of QA Australia Lyndal Hughes explained that young workers feel they are not being paid enough to give their undivided attention and dedication to their work.

‘Research has shown that we weigh our efforts based on the perceived fairness of the reward,’ said Ms Hughes.

‘Wages are more than money, they are also an indicator of how valued we are in an organization. Not getting a raise hurts morale and self-esteem, especially against the backdrop of a rising cost of living.”

Sue Ellson, the career expert from Melbourne, told FEMAIL that the trends focusing on working only the bare minimum could backfire if the change in behavior is noticed by others, especially managers.

Growing trends such as “Bare Minimum Monday” and “quitting quietly” have grown in popularity, fueled by Millennial and Gen Z workers refusing to work more than contractually required (stock image)

Ms Ellson said that while the concept of quitting quietly isn’t new, technology and working from home have been able to keep pace with what’s being done every day.

“Quitting quietly is a prompt to increase your personal productivity throughout the day, after which I can move on to my other priorities,” she said.

“However, if you’re seen as a ‘relaxer’ after overexerting yourself before, communication is key.”

“You may need to explain why your behavior has changed and be willing to do so. Reacting in frustration and saying you’re tired of doing more work than everyone else in the heat of the moment isn’t the solution.’

Ms. Ellson encouraged employees to be prepared and prioritize.

Australian inflation remains high at 7%, despite 11 consecutive rate hikes by the Reserve Bank.

The Reserve Bank of Australia surprised experts and homeowners by raising interest rates by 0.25 percentage point on May 2, pushing cash rates to an 11-year high of 3.85 percent.

The latest Consumer Price Index figures show that inflation is stubbornly above the Reserve Bank of Australia’s target of 2 to 3 percent.

Australian inflation remains high at 7% despite 11 consecutive Reserve Bank rate hikes (pictured)

In the year to March, it was up seven percent, with food prices continuing to rise by double digits.

March inflation figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed a 9.8 percent annual increase in housing costs, which covers rent and construction costs.

Recreational and cultural costs rose 8.6 percent, compared to 6.5 percent for insurance and financial services.

Annual food inflation fell from 9.2 percent to 8 percent, but prices for dairy products and prices for bread and breakfast cereals still rose by 14.9 percent and 11.8 percent, respectively.