For many people, a work-issued laptop has more use than just a piece of equipment. It connects people to their livelihood, carries their workday stress, and, sometimes holds tabs for that Etsy side business, that freelance proposal, or that next job application. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone, and new data confirms it.

A recent survey conducted by All About Cookies of 1,000 employees reveals a very modern workplace tension. Company tech is becoming the new launchpad for side hustles and career transitions, often during the 9 to 5.

  • 36 percent of workers say they’ve used company devices to work on a side hustle.
  • 33 percent admitted to using work tech to apply for other jobs.
  • 29 percent went a step further, using company devices to interview elsewhere.
  • 22 percent even confessed to working for another full-time employer using their current company’s laptop.

These numbers probably reflect what many already know. Surviving in this economy means wearing more than one hat. While navigating rising living costs, career pivots, caregiving duties, and passion projects, the company-issued laptop can feel like the only reliable tool you have to juggle it all.

But while that hustle is real, it comes with risks that are often underestimated.

When Work Tech Becomes Personal

Employment attorney Kelsey Szamet, a partner at Kingsley Szamet Employment Lawyers, isn’t surprised by the findings.

“Policies of companies are reality-challenged,” she explained to 21Ninety, “especially for women of color who are most likely to be working more than one job just to stay current with living expenses.”

Szamet points to a growing disconnect. While hybrid and remote work have changed how people work, many companies haven’t evolved their policies around digital boundaries or employee flexibility. The result is that more and more people are stretching company resources to manage life.

That might look like using your work laptop to track your Shopify store’s orders during lunch. Or hopping on a Zoom interview with another company in between back-to-back team meetings.

What’s Okay and What Could Get You Fired

Of course, not all tech “misuse” is created equal. Checking your personal Gmail? Probably not the end of the world. But forwarding sensitive client documents to your personal Dropbox, or watching adult content on your work laptops (22% of employees admitted to doing this)? That’s where legal, ethical, and reputational problems start stacking up — fast.

“There is a difference between accessing a personal email and sharing company information to a third party or downloading inappropriate content,” said Szamet. “The latter poses major reputational and legal risk.”

Szamet suggests companies need to do a better job of setting clear expectations and not just policing employees with surveillance software.

“Transparency, training, and written policies can create trust and protect the company,” she said.

Balancing Hustle and Compliance: It Can Be Done

Despite the risks, Szamet believes there is a world where side hustles and workplace integrity can coexist especially for employees who need or want multiple income streams.

“Yes, but it must be both balanced and open,” she said. “A good balance would be policies that mark out personal and business use, but refrain from crossing over into over-surveillance.”

Employees, in turn, need to know their rights and responsibilities and where autonomy meets accountability. That means using personal devices for side projects when possible, creating digital boundaries, and letting your employer know if any outside work could conflict with your current role.

Cybersecurity 101: Protect Yourself While You Work Remotely

Beyond company rules, there’s another layer to this tech use tension, which is security. From phishing scams to leaked data, using work devices casually can leave both you and your employer exposed. Szamet shared a few basic but essential rules. First, use strong, unique passwords for every login. Next, make sure to turn on two-factor authentication for everything. Finally, never save sensitive company data on personal drives or cloud accounts. Even small mistakes, like using unsecured Wi-Fi or delaying software updates, can leave you vulnerable.

The Multi-Hyphenate’s Tech Playbook: Do This, Not That

For the woman who’s doing the most, here’s Szamet’s quick guide to surviving the digital workplace with style and smarts:

Do:

  • Use personal tech for your side work when possible.
  • Separate your 9-to-5 from your 5-to-whenever hustle.
  • Be transparent if your outside work could present a conflict.

Don’t:

  • Use company time or software to run your business.
  • Assume your work laptop is private — it’s not.
  • Sync company files with your own cloud accounts.

Own Your Hustle, But Protect Your Bag

People are living in a time where two jobs might mean two incomes, but also double the stress, double the risk, and double the digital footprint.

“Women who have more roles to fill should not be punished for trying to get it done in a broken economy,” Szamet said.

You shouldn’t be punished, but you also shouldn’t be reckless. Whether you’re climbing the ladder, building your brand, or doing both at once, just know that every click, download, and upload could matter more than you think.