The controversy surrounding Soham Parekh, the software engineer accused of secretly holding multiple jobs, has sparked a predictable backlash against “overemployment.” Parekh’s methods—he reportedly misled multiple employers—were clearly unethical, but this shouldn’t obscure a broader question: Is it time to rethink our antipathy toward employees holding multiple jobs?

Parekh’s case notwithstanding, there’s a deeper structural issue at play. Why should it be acceptable for some CEOs to hold leadership roles at multiple companies yet unacceptable for a talented marketer or software engineer to have multiple jobs? The world of work has fundamentally changed, and limiting people to one job is an outdated idea that doesn’t benefit anyone.

Startups have embraced fractional executives; CFOs, CMOs, and other senior positions going part time is now standard practice. However, large corporations continue to address similar needs exclusively through consulting arrangements. This highlights a significant gap in how organizations approach talent........

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