The value of part-time work
 Comment from CDAA’s National President, Carole Brown
Latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data (1) shows the trend towards ever-increasing numbers of part-time workers continues. The proportion of men employed part time increased from 15% to 17%, from May 2008 to February 2010, and the proportion of women increased from 44% to 46% over the same period. This represents more than 3.2 million Australian workers.
While some of this increase was due to the GFC, the report reveals that most part-time workers do not want to work additional hours, due to their desire for flexibility to balance their work and personal lives.
The growing part-time workforce presents particular challenges to some organisations, who still struggle with the notion that employees, especially those in management or senior roles need to be at work full-time to make an effective contribution. There are other attitudinal and structural barriers too including full-time employees becoming resentful of perceived special attention given to part-timers, with the latter reporting being excluded or marginalised from core activities and significant decision making.
Many employers report high levels of engagement and productivity from their part-time staff. Those who adopt flexible work practices and smart job design and support a positive workplace culture, can enable equitable contributions from all their staff. It is important that attention is given to appropriate work tasks, workload, salary and career development for both part-timers as well as full time employees. Part-time employment can work to the benefit of all concerned and with the growing number of older workers seeking to scale back their hours, the large numbers of people seeking only part-time work and the rising skills shortage, it makes sense to plan for the effective use of this important resource.
(1)Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Social Trends- Underemployment, June 2010
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