PRESS RELEASE: Death of the ‘unambitious part-timer’ myth

• Landmark post-pandemic study of 4,000 workers by social enterprise Timewise examines the state of part-time working in the UK. 
   
• Finds while part-time workers still face significant barriers – overall, attitudes may be changing. 
   
• …FAR more people now disagree, than agree, with the notion that part-time workers are unambitious (50 per cent Vs 23 per cent).

London, 5 December, 2023:  A new report by the social enterprise Timewise examines the state of part-time working in the UK post-pandemic and how it is perceived today.  

Part-time workers make up one quarter of the UK’s total workforce, accounting for 8 million people.¹ 38 per cent of all women in employment in the UK are part-time; compared to 14 per cent of men. 43 per cent of workers aged 50+, are part-time.²  
 
Timewise, via Opinium, interviewed 4,000 UK-based workers³ to gather their experiences and perceptions of part-time working, regardless of their own patterns of work.  

For years in the UK, part-time work has been equated with a lack of ambition and being just for junior roles. The term ‘part-timer’ is sometimes used derogatively to imply that someone cares less about their job.   
 
Timewise’s report, A Question of Time finds that:  

• Far more people now perceive part-time workers to be AS AMBITIOUS as anybody else – and their numbers dwarf those who disagree (50 per cent versus 23 per cent).⁴ 
   
• However, while most workers regard part-timers to be as ambitious as anyone else, there remains a perception that part-time working is a barrier to progression.  
   
• Just under half of workers in the UK agree that part-time working limits career progression (46 per cent). There is a high level of uncertainty, with nearly one in three workers saying they “don’t know” (32 per cent).⁵ 
   
• While managers are ironically the most likely occupational group to consider part-time working in the future (40 per cent, compared to just 34 per cent of those in semi-routine and routine occupations⁶) they are also more likely to consider working part-time working as a barrier to progression (53 per cent agree⁷).

This finding is significant given that many managers are the ‘gatekeepers’ of part-time and flexible options in others’ careers.  

The report also finds some distinct divisions by demographic groups:  

• More than twice as many women work part-time in order to care for someone, than men. 32 per cent of female part-time workers work part-time to care for someone else, rising to 45 per cent of those aged 35-49. Just 13 per cent of all male part-time workers work part-time for caring reasons.⁸ 
   
• Men are also 16 per centage points MORE likely than women to see part-time workers as less ambitious than full-time workers.⁹ 
   
• Respondents from Asian minority ethnic groups are more likely to agree to the statement ‘part-time working limits career progression’ than those from white ethnic groups (58 per cent versus 45 per cent%).¹⁰ 
   
• More younger workers than older workers view part-time working as limiting to career progression, and they are also the age group that is least likely to feel comfortable discussing working arrangements with their manager. ¹¹   

Finally, the report, backed by Diageo, Lloyds Banking Group and Phoenix Group, makes the following recommendations: 

1. A range of flexible working arrangements should be available to all roles. This would enable people to reduce or increase their working hours if they choose to do so, giving more choice and control.  

2. Part-time work needs to be considered in the context of equality, diversity and inclusion strategy.  

3. Job share should be seen as a key solution to making part-time an option in senior roles and enabling career development. 

Dr Sarah Dauncey, who led the research says: “Most people regard part-time workers to be as ambitious as everyone else, yet barriers to progression persist. While full-time working is seen as the default by employers, too many people will be excluded from the workplace entirely or are unable to thrive. Businesses need to listen to the voices shared in our study and consider how to take a more dynamic and inclusive approach to working hours, enabling people to dial-up and down their working hours at different life stages and have more choice and control.” 

Phoenix Group’s Cath Sermon, Head of Public Engagement and Campaigns for Phoenix Insights, says: “For all the talk of progress in post-pandemic ways of working, too little has changed in practice for part-time working. There is growing, but unmet demand, for part-time work, which is vital if we want to help people enjoy the benefits of working whilst also managing their health, caring for family and other activities that are important to them.  There are also some challenging perceptions around presenteeism and barriers to progression that are holding people back.  Employers should take seriously the actions recommended here to unlock the flexibility employees need and want.

“At Phoenix we’re supporting managers to make part-time work a reality by embedding it in a really effective way within our organisation, and we are working with all colleagues to challenge their mindset to ensure part-time work can become a key part of our inclusive and productive 21st century workforce.” 

ENDS

For case studies, interviews and the full report please contact Jo Burkill at Timewise:
07960 472097 / jo.burkill@timewise.co.uk  
 

About Timewise

Timewise are the UK’s flexible working experts. A 17 year-old social enterprise, it comprises of an experienced team of consultants who advise employers on job design and an innovation unit that produces world-class research on the UK labour market.  

Specialists in large, complex workforces and particularly in shift-based roles, Timewise aims to build stronger workplaces where good flexible working is available to everyone. www.timewise.co.uk 

Notes to editors 

¹ 8,462,000 of the UK’s 32,882,000 workers are part-time, accounting for 26 per cent or roughly 1 in 4. Source: ONS LFS, November 2023: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/uklabourmarket/november2023 

² Timewise, A Question of Time, May 2023, p.12. 

³ Timewise adopted a mixed methods approach to this research. Firstly, it undertook analysis of the Labour Force Survey (LFS), looking at trends in part-time work from 2018 to 2022 to provide the context for its primary research. Via Opinium, it undertook an online survey among 4001 workers in the UK. The sample was representative of all workers in employment, including permanent and temporary (zero-hours, fixed-term). It gathered demographic information including: gender, age, ethnicity, caring responsibilities, disability and long-term health condition, occupation (NS-SEC) and household income. It also ran two focus groups composed of early career workers and two for older and experienced workers.  

⁴ Timewise, A Question of Time, Dec 2023: p.14 
“Part-time workers are less ambitious than full-time workers.” 
50% – disagree 
27% – neither / don’t know 
23% – agree 
 
⁵  Timewise, A Question of Time, Dec 2023: p.14 
“Part-time limits career progression.” 
22% – disagree 
32% – neither/ don’t know 
46% – agree 

⁶  Timewise, A Question of Time, Dec 2023: p.13 

⁷ Timewise, A Question of Time, Dec 2023: p.14 
“Part-time limits career progression.” 
Managerial, adminsistrative and professional occupations 
21% – disagree 
25% – neither / don’t know 
53% – agree
 
Semi routine and routine occupations 
25% – disagree 
28% – neither agree nor disagree 
36% – agree 

⁸ Timewise, A Question of Time, Dec 2023: p.12  

⁹ Timewise, A Question of Time, Dec 2023: p.6 

¹⁰ A Question of Time, Dec 2023: p.6 

¹¹ A Question of Time, Dec 2023: p.6