84% of workers in the Islands have had more than one job

PalmThe Balearic Islands are the autonomous community with the highest proportion of workers who claim to have combined more than one job at some point in their careers, accounting for 84% of the total, according to a Randstad report published by the EFE news agency. In second place, and far behind the islands, are Murcia and Navarre, with 63%, while the national average is 58.3%. At the lower end are the Basque Country (52%) and Extremadura (47%).

By sector, hospitality and tourism are those with the highest number of multiple jobs: this situation affects around 30% of workers, according to the temporary employment agency. In commerce and customer service, the rate is 24%. By the end of 2024, 585,800 workers in the state reported having more than one job, a figure that has increased by 43% in the last decade.

Regarding the reasons for moonlighting, eight out of ten workers say they do so out of "a need for economic survival" and not out of any desire for professional fulfillment. Forty-one percent of moonlighters combine jobs to increase their income, 24% do so to cover basic expenses, and 22% do so due to the lack of stability in their main occupation.

According to Randstad CEO Andrés Menéndez, one of the reasons for the rise in moonlighting is the rising cost of living and the loss of purchasing power. In fact, 76% of those surveyed would reduce their workload if their main job offered better conditions, while 17.5% would do so if the salary was sufficient, and only 6% say they enjoy combining jobs.

Regarding the personal cost to workers who have more than one job, 23.5% say it causes fatigue and stress, and 11% consider it very negative due to the impact on health and personal relationships.

The Balearic Islands also lead the way in overtime.

Island workers are also those who work the most overtime. According to the Labor Force Survey (EPA), 47.2% of them work between 40 and 48 hours, while the national average is 41.7%. Furthermore, official data only considers declared hours, but many hours are not recorded and, in many cases, are not paid.