How do Poles earn extra money? A report on additional work
Nearly 50% of Poles admit that they do additional work—8.5 percentage points more than in 2023. An even higher share of respondents says they intend to continue or take up this form of activity in the near future.
Average wages are rising faster than the cost of living, consumer sentiment is improving—especially assessments of the country’s future situation and the ability to save—which clearly exceed levels from previous years. And yet interest in additional forms of earning income is growing year by year.
Already nearly 50% of Poles admit that they do additional work—8.5 percentage points more than in 2023. An even higher share of respondents announces that they intend to continue or take up this form of activity in the near future. Their time commitment is also increasing—Poles are taking on side jobs for more hours than before.
28% of respondents work additionally to earn money for non-essential expenses. Obtaining funds for spending beyond basic needs and the desire to save are the two most frequently mentioned reasons for taking on additional work. It is worth taking a closer look at respondents’ answers to better understand the motivations and needs of individual groups.
Compared to earlier survey results, a significant change is visible—the share of people allocating up to 9 hours to side work has decreased (in 2024 – 45.9%, in 2023 – 46.7%), while interest in additional work in the range of 10 to 19 hours has increased (33.8% in 2024 and 29.9% in 2023). At the same time, the share of people who devote more than 20 hours to side work also rose. In 2025 it was 15.8%, while in 2024 it was 10.8%.
