How Moonlighting Affects Your Business & What to Do About It

September 17, 2023 - Reading time: 6 minutes

In the present day, it seems that an increasing number of individuals are involved in dual employment. It is now commonplace for people to take on weekend jobs to generate additional income, participate in online selling activities, or even work night shifts in addition to their regular nine-to-five jobs.

There is ultimately a threshold where employees with a second source of income can begin to cause problems for businesses.

If your employees are engaging in moonlighting, you may observe a decline in their performance, daily workflow, and overall attitude. As an employer, you should aspire to have a workforce that exhibits enthusiasm and a willingness to give their best at work. If this is not the case, it may be appropriate to question whether they are fully committed to their role.

In this article we will endeavour to give you a better understanding of what moonlighting entails, how to identify employees engaged in moonlighting, the potential impact of moonlighting on your business, and explore how involving a private investigator could assist in resolving moonlighting.

What is moonlighting?

Moonlighting is when your employee takes up a second job. While this practice is not illegal, it is crucial for such information to be disclosed to employers in order to ensure there are no conflicts of interest. 

Some employees have alternative sources of income without it causing any problems. However, if your business policies prohibit moonlighting or if an employee's moonlighting activities start affecting their work performance, it may be necessary to take appropriate action.

What are the signs of moonlighting?

Several signs can indicate that an employee is engaged in moonlighting. While these signs are certainly not definitive proof, they could signal that further investigation is necessary. It's important to consider that these behaviours, when observed in isolation, may be indicative of other personal or domestic matters that need to be addressed with the employee. They may not necessarily imply that a second job is encroaching upon their lives.

If you suspect an employee of moonlighting, be on the lookout for signs such as frequent requests to leave work early or tardiness in the morning. This could suggest that they are struggling to balance conflicting shift schedules between two jobs, potentially resulting in fatigue and reduced concentration—another aspect worth monitoring.

Employees unexpectedly leaving the workplace for extended periods or attending unusually long off-site meetings may also raise suspicions of moonlighting. Additionally, frequent last-minute time-off requests or increasing sick leave could be indicators to watch out for.

Arguably, the most revealing sign lies in the behaviour of other staff members. If they express dissatisfaction or resentment towards a colleague, it could indicate the perception that they are shouldering an unfair workload due to the underperformance of the moonlighting employee.

What is the impact of moonlighting?

Moonlighting can have serious and long-lasting consequences for your business. If you are compensating an employee who fails to fulfil their contracted hours or deliver the expected performance, your business incurs financial losses that can accumulate over time.

Furthermore, if an employee engages in moonlighting for a competitor within the same industry, they may exploit their skills and expertise to divert customers away from your company, resulting in potential revenue loss. Moonlighting may also involve an employee conducting work on a 'self employed' basis for the company's clients at discounted rates.

On an even more severe level, there may be a conflict of interest if the employee discloses confidential company information to another organization, which could even lead to data breaches.

On a smaller scale, the consistent underperformance of a moonlighting employee, without taking any disciplinary action, can significantly impact staff morale and potentially result in the loss of valuable team members.

Ultimately, a single employee engaging in moonlighting can give rise to a broader issue of staff retention.

Why hire a private investigator?

Although the transition from harbouring suspicions to initiating moonlighting investigations may appear substantial, it may indeed be a necessary step in safeguarding your business.

The reality is that taking disciplinary action without concrete evidence of moonlighting can have serious repercussions for your company. There is even the possibility of facing legal action if an employee feels unfairly treated, possibly culminating in an unfair dismissal hearing and associated legal costs.

By engaging the services of a private investigator, you benefit from having a neutral third party who can conduct discreet and professional investigations into your employee's activities, free from emotional biases. While you could conduct such investigations internally, a private investigator possesses the expertise to handle them efficiently, thereby saving you time, money, and effort. Additionally, if the investigations reveal that your employee is not involved in moonlighting, your relationship with them remains unaffected.

Moreover, experience counts when it comes to conducting investigations, and only a few non-specialists have access to the advanced technology that private investigators utilize. At Private Investigators UK, our experienced detectives are experts at gathering proof of moonlighting through discreet surveillance, undercover work, and other investigative techniques. We cover all areas of the UK - please visit our homepage to learn more about us or to request a free quote.