Effect of side jobs and psychological distress on employee turnover in Japanese employees: A nationwide prospective cohort study

Objectives We investigated the impact of engaging in side jobs on turnover and its interaction with psychological distress among Japanese employees. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted using a questionnaire-based survey. We investigated 2783 full-time employees in companies permitting side jobs. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between side jobs and turnover, and its relationship stratified by psychological distress. Results Employees engaging in side jobs had higher odds ratios (ORs) for turnover after adjusting for covariates, included psychological distress (OR = 1.54, 95% confidence interval: 1.22-1.93). Among those under psychological distress, ORs for turnover were significantly higher (OR = 1.96, 95% confidence interval: 1.39-2.76). Conversely, in employees without distress, no significant difference was observed. Conclusions Side job engagement correlates with higher turnover, particularly among employees under psychological distress.