Employees have moonlighted at second and third jobs for decades; the difference now is that, because of the uncertain job market, they are busy at second jobs during their official working days. In a January 2009 article the Globe and Mail's Christine Wong said this had come to be known as "daylighting". Many manage it while the office is quiet or during breaks but others stay late. Harried co-workers and managers don't notice because it's easy for a worker to switch from one document to another without detection.
Social Networking Sites
Workers often take time out to visit social networking sites on the company's dime. It's a little like enjoying a coffee break and nobody thinks anything of it. Doing a little extra work for another company or studying for a better job feels like an extension of a recognized activity, a bit like posting a long comment on a business site. It doesn't feel illegal but the boss can summarily dismiss anyone found doing it.
Problem-Solving Approach
Actually, these workers are taking a problem-solving approach to what they see as a stressful predicament. They don't trust their jobs to be around for as long as they used to and are making sure they will have paid work to fall back on if anything goes wrong. As the Free Library would have it, they have "an internal locus of control, or confidence concerning the relationship between (their) behavior and outcomes (Antonovsky, 1991), which seems to help (them) gain resilience within a culture of job insecurity" (freelibrary.com).
Uncertainty Of The Times
Seizing control is good not only for the daylighter's health but for that of his or her family. They all feel invincible no matter what life throws at them. Some who are actually let go turn their second job into full time businesses. Many, unfortunately, work for their employer's competitor while others are paid to blog or build websites. Some take on so much work that they need sick days to accomplish it all.
It's unlikely that a manager can do much about any of this because it is the uncertainty of the times that is causing the situation. Human resource departments don't really care about moonlighting employees who don't work for competitors but take a dim view of those daylighting. Most believe that on the job performance and conflicts of interest rules cover all eventualities. Others say a distinct moonlighting policy clarifies employer expectations regarding outside work. None appear to be grappling with daylighting.
Although not directly related to slacking at work, most employers already try to prevent visits to inappropriate websites and restrict on the job social networking but unless there are suspicions, do not check employee emails or computers.
Employer-Employee Compact
The best approach to stemming the tide of daylighting would, of course, be to guarantee all workers their jobs for as long as they want them but in the current climate that's virtually impossible. Employers can only reinforce the employer-employee compact that amounts to all working together to save the business and urge managers to stick around the office and keep their eyes open. "It's hard to serve two masters. It becomes a question of commitment and (having) enough energy to do the job," sighs Fred Manning, an employment attorney at Ellzey & Brooks LLC. in Columbia, South Carolina (bnet).
Moonlighting Is Safer Than Two-Timing The Boss
It is illegal, of course, to steal time from the company for which a person works, but it is not a hanging offense. Mostly, the worst that can happen to a perpetrator is the knowledge he or she is being fired without severance and enduring the indignity of having to box up personal effects and being escorted off the premises. However, a boss can decide to take legal action. Moonlighting is safer than two-timing the boss.
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