In a world of hybrid work and digital hustle, a new breed of employee has quietly emerged: the “polygamous worker”. No, this isn’t a scandal from the marriage registry, but a growing trend among remote workers juggling two—or even three—full-time jobs simultaneously. And yes, it’s as dodgy as it sounds.
With working from home now firmly embedded in professional life, some individuals have found it remarkably easy to take advantage of the lack of supervision. The situation has become particularly problematic in local government, where a recent investigation has revealed a worrying degree of double—indeed, triple—jobbing.
The National Fraud Initiative, the Government’s watchdog for rooting out dishonesty across public and private sectors, conducted preliminary checks in several London boroughs. The results were eye-opening: 23 confirmed cases of multiple full-time positions held by single individuals and over £500,000 in overpaid salaries. One particularly ambitious gentleman from Whitechapel is currently facing charges for holding down three simultaneous government jobs. That’s not multitasking—it’s malpractice.
If that’s what a light-touch investigation turns up, one can only imagine what a more thorough probe might reveal. It’s especially galling for taxpayers who are now being asked to fork out more in council tax. Perhaps the next time rates go up, we should first ask how many employees are being paid twice—or thrice—for doing half the work.
Social media hasn’t helped. TikTok and Reddit threads are rife with tips on how to sustain this deceptive lifestyle. One popular hack? A mouse jiggler—an innocuous-looking USB device that keeps your computer “active” while you, presumably, take a break from one job to focus on another.
Now, it’s worth saying there’s nothing inherently wrong with having more than one job. In today’s economy, it’s often a necessity, and flexible work has enabled countless people to supplement their income. But the problem arises when full-time roles, with all the expectations and pay that entails, are taken on under false pretences. One employer hiring someone for a 40-hour-a-week role has the right to expect that those hours—and that effort—are committed.
What’s more, this sort of arrangement raises all sorts of ethical and operational concerns. There’s the matter of performance—can anyone genuinely do justice to multiple full-time jobs? Then there’s the question of confidentiality. Local councils handle sensitive information, and if someone is splitting time between departments or even councils, the risk of data leakage or conflicted loyalties becomes significant.
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And let’s not gloss over what this reveals about certain roles. If someone can balance two or three council positions, perhaps those positions aren’t quite as “full-time” as they claim to be. Either the workload is overstated, or we’re being taken for a ride. In either case, it’s time for a rethink on how these roles are structured—and funded.
Some suggest that money invested in fraud detection could well pay for itself. A few well-publicised prosecutions may act as a deterrent for others tempted by the perks of “polywork”. And if councils want to avoid being duped, the simplest solution might be to insist on a physical presence. It’s much harder to moonlight when someone’s watching you over the top of a monitor.
Ultimately, this is a story of trust, transparency and common sense. Employers should be upfront about expectations. Employees should be honest about their commitments. And if you want monogamy in the workplace—best keep the desk within eyeshot.
Let’s hope that, for once, the analogy between work life and home life ends there.
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