Ayan (name changed), a Delhi resident who works in the media space, plays online poker every single day. He insists it’s a game of skill, rather than luck. Considering that he makes bank out of the game, he often jokes that poker is his full-time job, and his actual job, only a side hustle.
Side hustles or part-time jobs are not a new phenomenon. In the 2024 ‘Gen Z and Millennial Survey’ published by Deloitte, globally 45% Gen Zs and 36% millennials said they had “either a part- or full-time paying side jobs, such as selling products or services online, flexible ‘gig’ work like ridesharing or food delivery, pursuing artistic ambitions, working in a restaurant or retail, or consulting/running their own businesses. The top reason to take on side jobs, by a wide margin, is the need for a secondary source of income.”
As per Deloitte’s 2022 edition of this report, in India, 62% Gen Zs and 51% millennials held side jobs. The number was higher than the global average of 43% Gen Zs and 32% millennials. And it’s not just any work—people are actively picking up freelance gigs and part-time jobs in not-for-profit organisations, creating content on social media platforms, or monetising their art-related hobbies.
Interestingly, this phenomenon is being noted across the globe. A 2024 survey by LendingTree in the US found that at least 55% Gen Zs and millennials had a side hustle, “averaging $1,253 a month in supplemental income”. Of these, 40% people said they had to opt for gigs over and above their full-time jobs due to inflation, while 38% cited “economic fallout from the pandemic”.
Akash (last name withheld on request), a Noida resident, works with corporate B2B clients for a public relations firm as his day job. But any free time that he has is dedicated to writing political speeches, articles and social media content for some political leaders. He’s been juggling these two roles for as long as he can remember.
To be fair, side hustles are actively reshaping the workforce and the way we look at financial independence and autonomy for adults. Medha Nidhi, a 26-year-old from Bengaluru, first started picking up side gigs in 2022 when she was working with a film studio as a production manager. She told FE, “I didn’t feel very fulfilled at my regular job. Picking up side hustles helped me realise that I enjoy short bursts of energy in my work and doing multiple things. Now I want to move towards having the time to do things on my own, on my time, and hopefully start my own practice.”
For Nidhi, doing part-time jobs in ad films and artiste management also gave her the push to quit her job and become a freelancer. “These side gigs exposed me to so many opportunities I would never have known existed. It made me determined not to have a life that revolves around someone else’s work. And it relieved me of the pressure of being good at one thing — I can enjoy multiple things now and work in many fields too.”
The autonomy that Nidhi mentions is actually a big driving factor for young people. A few years ago, LinkedIn had stated that “founder” was one of the fastest growing job titles among Gen Z folks. A survey by Intuit, a US-based financial technology company, had also found that 65% people wanted to be entrepreneurs and 49% people wanted to be their own bosses when they were planning side jobs.
However, passion and interests aside, there are some people who solely look for side jobs to supplement their incomes. Noida resident Sravya (28) is one such person. She creates campaigns and visual amplification for brands. Interestingly, she is also quick to dismiss the hype of hustle culture. “I do this solely to supplement my income. I am not a fan of side hustles and I really like having time to myself. So, I only pick up projects I already know I’d be good at — things that are within my skill set — rather than trying to experiment with new things. It helps me catch up with expenses, as I would be left gasping for breath in this economy.”