Major trading firm lifts ban on side hustles—opening the door for employees to become YouTubers or start-up founders

A young woman works on a radio station, talking on a microphone in her home office (Credit: Thana Prasongsin—Getty Images)

Employees at major Japanese trading house Mitsui & Co. have just been given a new workplace perk: the freedom to pursue side hustles.

The publicly-listed company, which is headquartered in Japan but has more than 100 offices across 63 countries, told Bloomberg it had lifted its ban on employees earning money from other avenues.