Moonlighting

Balancing outside work

Moonlighting means working on professional, paid jobs outside your work. We recognize this isn't a black-and-white topic. One-time gigs, personal pursuits, and opportunities that help you grow can make life more interesting and fulfilling. We want to support these endeavors.

At the same time, we need to ensure outside work doesn't create conflicts of interest or affect your focus, dedication, or performance. Finding this balance requires thoughtful consideration.

Activities we support

Here are some examples of outside work we consider acceptable:

1. Occasional side gigs for people you know, whether free or paid. If you want to help a friend with their website or contribute to a design or writing project you're involved with, that's fine.
2. Speaking engagements, free or paid. If someone wants to pay you to give a talk, that's acceptable as long as it doesn't require multiple days off for travel (unless you use vacation time for this purpose).
3. Side businesses that differ from your day job, provided the commitment only amounts to a few hours per week. If you're exhausted at work because you're trying to launch a full-time business on the side, that impacts your performance here.
4. Advisory roles for other companies, as long as there's no conflict of interest and the time commitment remains under a few hours per month. When scheduling conflicts arise, Dwarves Foundation takes priority.
5. Volunteer or pro-bono work for causes you care about. Occasional contributions are fine, but becoming an organization's full-time web designer with responsibilities during your standard workday wouldn't be appropriate.

Activities that create conflicts

Here are situations we consider problematic:

1. Working for another company in our industry, either full-time or part-time. If you're unsure about what constitutes our industry and have a specific situation to discuss, please talk with Han.
2. Regular speaking tours requiring multiple days of travel several times per year. This level of absence disrupts our work schedule and affects your teammates.
3. Consulting for potential competitors or companies with products related to Dwarves Foundation where conflicts of interest might arise.
4. Aggressively marketing yourself for side work. If opportunities come through friends or connections, that's acceptable, but actively promoting your availability for side work will eventually create conflicts with your work here.
5. Outside commitments that divert attention from your work. For example, launching an app that requires timely customer support would pull focus from your responsibilities.

Guiding principles

When considering outside work, ask yourself these questions:

• Is it competitive with what we do?
• Will it take up too much of your time?
• Does it require you to be absent during times when your team needs you?
• Is it another paid opportunity using the same skills Dwarves Foundation is paying you for?

We aim to be reasonable about outside work, but we need to be firm when it affects your time, attention, or performance here.

Since every situation is unique, reach out to Han or An if you're uncertain about a specific opportunity. We're happy to discuss it before you make any commitments.