Balearic Islands: Why so many people here have two or more jobs

Multiple jobs on the islands: An everyday experience becomes statistics

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In the mornings, when someone in Palma at Plaça Major grabs a coffee, or in the evenings in Cala Major encounters waitstaff, you often hear the same story: a second job is necessary. A recent survey by a staffing agency confirms the feeling of many residents — on the Balearic Islands, significantly more people have held multiple jobs than the national average.

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How do the islands differ from the mainland?

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While in Spain as a whole around 58 % of workers report having worked in parallel at least once, the share on the Balearic Islands is much higher: about 84 %. That doesn't surprise (or wonder) you if you know the daily rhythm here: tourism, seasonal work, and high rents squeeze household budgets.

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I keep encountering this: a Spanish teacher in Portixol who teaches in the mornings and helps out at a restaurant in the afternoons; a construction worker who works as a delivery driver in winter. Not for fun, but because the numbers at the end of the month have to add up.

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Why do so many take the detour of side jobs?

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The reasons are mostly pragmatic. Cost of living is rising – rent, groceries, electricity. Then comes seasonality: in summer there is a lot going on, in winter the supply shrinks. Some have fixed positions with few hours, others combine micro-jobs, gig work, and occasional assignments in the hospitality industry.

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For many, a side job is more than a plus in the bank: it compensates for irregular income and creates a buffer. For others, it is a long-term state that weighs on them — especially when shift schedules collide and free time becomes scarce.

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What does this mean for island society?

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Several jobs do not automatically mean more security. It can also indicate precarious employment: lower social contributions, insecure contracts, less leisure time. The local economy benefits in the short term from more available workers, but the long-term effects are ambivalent.

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The politics and employers face the task here of stabilizing working conditions: better schedules, fairer wages, and affordable housing. Without such measures, for many people the second or third job remains the rule rather than the exception.

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If you soon queue at the supermarket on Avenida Jaume III and the cashier smiles, remember: perhaps she has already worked twice today. And yes, it has somehow become normal — but that it is normal does not mean it is unproblematic.

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Short verdict: On the Balearic Islands, significantly more people work in parallel than in the rest of Spain. The drivers are well known: rising costs, seasonal fluctuations, and a labor market that demands flexible solutions. Whether this will work out in the long run depends on political decisions and economic development.