A growing number of aged care workers are taking on second jobs or looking for extra work as rising housing and living costs put fresh pressure on an already stretched workforce.
New data from workforce firm Randstad suggests one in three Australian healthcare professionals has either taken on, or is considering taking on, a second job to keep up with day-to-day expenses.
While the figures cover the broader healthcare sector, industry leaders say the trend is being felt across aged care, where workers are already managing demanding rosters, staff shortages and increasing care needs.
Matt Hodges, national director of health and aged care at Randstad, said financial pressure was starting to reshape how many nurses and care workers approach employment.
“We’re seeing a growing mismatch between where nurses are needed and where they can realistically afford to live,” Mr Hodges said.
He said the issue was no longer limited to regional and remote areas, with workers in major cities increasingly being priced out of the communities where they work.
As housing costs continue to rise, many are being forced to travel further, increase their hours or take on extra roles to make ends meet.
According to the data:
For aged care providers, the trend raises concerns about staff fatigue and retention, particularly as facilities across Australia continue to battle workforce shortages.
“When nurses work longer hours or juggle multiple roles we start to worry about fatigue and what the flow-on effects for that is on patient care and overall hospital and facility outcomes,” Mr Hodges said.
There are also concerns that more workers may shift away from permanent positions in favour of contract or agency work, where pay rates can be higher, potentially accelerating casualisation across parts of the care sector.
Despite the economic pressure, the data found workplace culture remains relatively strong, with most healthcare workers reporting they feel valued and supported by their teams.
But for many frontline aged care staff, the reality is that goodwill and workplace culture are increasingly being overshadowed by the rising cost of simply living near their place of work.
The findings add to broader concerns about whether Australia can attract and retain enough aged care workers as demand for services continues to grow, particularly in metropolitan areas where housing affordability has become a major barrier for essential workers.
