askST Jobs: What to do when a side project at work is more exciting

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Q: A side project I took on at work interests me more than my usual tasks. How can I pursue my new interest?

A: Side projects at work are either delegated to employees by their management, or initiated by employees themselves, says veteran career coach Tan Kok Guan.

“In any case, these projects are sometimes related to the employee’s core work, but not directly tied to their primary responsibilities. Sometimes, they are totally unrelated,” notes Mr Tan, who founded career coaching company Broccolise.

Some side projects may offer creativity, learning, or a sense of accomplishment that the core job may lack.

Examples include organising corporate social responsibility or team bonding activities, or developing automation tools.

“If someone finds these projects more fulfilling than their core job, it’s important to assess whether this interest aligns with their long-term career goals.”

However, their core job performance should not suffer in this process of discovery, Mr Tan stresses.

He suggests that employees share the new interests with their immediate supervisor or manager, as these individuals have influence over tasks and responsibilities and also understand the organisation’s goals.

They can also approach a mentor or career coach, who can provide objective guidance and advice on how to best pursue the interests further.

If appropriate, they can discuss their aspirations with colleagues who might have an interest to collaborate or join in the discussions with the supervisor, says Mr Tan.

In the short term, he advises employees to continue exploring and confirming their interest in taking on more similar side projects.

They can also seek out training courses or workshops in the field.

Mr Tan adds: “In the medium to longer term, they should build a portfolio to demonstrate the experience gained from such side projects, and expand their network in the related field.”

If the interest remains, the options will likely boil down to either seeking a formal role change within the company, or a new opportunity externally.

Mr Tan advises that when deciding whether to stay on, workers should consider how closely related the side project is to the core scope of work, as well as their personal circumstances, such as their financial reserves and family support.

If the side project has some relation to the core tasks of the job, it could make sense to stay on and advocate for a change in scope.

“This way, employees can leverage their existing position to gradually explore new interests without losing job security.”

An example is someone employed for general human resources work but seeking to specialise in workplace learning and development.

“If the side project is entirely unrelated to the current scope, like moving from engineering to marketing, much more needs to be done to enable the change to happen.

“If the employer is not flexible to accommodate this, it may be time to consider exploring externally,” says Mr Tan.

He also points out that a company’s size, structure and flexibility will influence whether it can accommodate a request for change in scope or tasks.

“Larger organisations have more diversity of roles available, while smaller set-ups may be more adaptable and can carve out new scopes where none previously existed.”

He notes that employers are generally becoming more open to accommodating such requests, driven by the need for higher employee engagement and retention.

For their part, employees can increase the likelihood of a role shift with the same employer by articulating how the proposed change will benefit the company, such as by improving efficiency, driving innovation or enhancing customer satisfaction.

A strong and consistent performance in the current role, notwithstanding personal interests lying elsewhere, demonstrates competence and inspires confidence, which would increase the chances of getting the desired change in scope, Mr Tan adds.

He also suggests that employees draw up a well thought out plan, including timelines and expected outcomes, to make their case.

Finally, relationship building is also important.

“Cultivate positive relationships with people who have a say in the outcome, as strong interpersonal connections can increase their chances of getting buy-in and approval.”

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