What we know about working part-time.
Working part-time is just one way of working flexibly, but it can be a valuable tool if you're looking to balance the time you spend at work with the needs of your family and the cost of childcare.
Let's take a look at what we already know about working part-time.
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The difference between working part-time and working flexibly.
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What you can do to set yourself up for success working part-time.
Got a question about working part-time?
1. How common is working part-time?
It is estimated that around 25% of the UK workforce works part-time, it's more common amongst the self-employed, where nearly 50% of people work part-time. Around 75% of people working part-time are women. And approximately 37% of mothers and 11% of fathers work part-time.
Working part-time is significantly less common in senior roles, with one benchmarking report amongst progressive employers finding that just 7% of senior managers work part-time, where the majority, 78%, are women.
2. What's the difference between working part-time and working flexibly?
You're working part-time if you work fewer than the standard contracted hours in your organisation. It is one form of flexible working and can take many forms including:
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Reducing your standard hours each week
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A job share (where two people ensure the responsibilities of the role are fulfilled)
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A job split (where the responsibilities of the role are formally split between two people)
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Term-time working
3. Do I need to make a formal request to work part-time?
It depends on the adjustments you need, how long you need them for, and how you want to achieve them.
Focus on the change in the hours you want to work and your pay, and explore all the options offered by your employer and other statutory rights you may have to understand the full range of options available to you.
For example, if you can buy additional days leave, you could combine this with your statutory right to unpaid parental leave (in the UK) to give you the extra time you need at home.
If you're returning from parental leave, you can use accrued holiday to taper your return to work.
If you want to reduce your hours and pay permanently, a statutory request is the best way to achieve this.
Whichever route you choose, ensure the responsibilities and objectives of your role are adjusted to reflect the changes you've made to your working hours. This step is crucial in setting you up for success, but is often missing from internal policies and procedures.
4. Will working part-time cost me my career?
In the long term, no. Working part-time will likely make access to career development opportunities harder in the short term. Whether this is because you don't have the time to 'go the extra mile' or because those around you in positions of influence assume that you can't or don't want to access development opportunities.
And until working part-time in senior roles becomes normalised, you will likely have to put in additional time and effort to craft your next career move.
However, new research has also demonstrated that working part-time can protect your career and income over the long term. And don't underestimate the importance of remaining in the workplace and the opportunity this gives you to maintain your skill set and network.
5. What can employers do to help people working part-time?
1. Ensure a positive employee experience
There are four components to the part-time working life cycle:
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Access to part-time working opportunities
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Transitioning to part-time working arrangements and establishing success
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Continued access to career development opportunities
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Routes to return to full-time work
Mapping an equitable employee experience across each phase maximises the benefits of part-time working for the organisation and the individual.
2. Promote part-time working as a specific capability
Working part-time and supervising those working part-time requires new capabilities across culture and process. Ensuring suitable training opportunities are available will help support the effective adoption of part-time work.
3. Make it visible and desirable
Promoting part-time working opportunities across the organisation, celebrating the professional achievements of those working part-time, and demonstrating senior leadership's commitment to part-time work will accelerate the normalisation of part-time work.
6. What can managers do to help people working part-time?
1. Ensure that the objectives set reflect hours worked.
Ensure role responsibilities and objectives are proportional to the hours worked.
2. Don't forget the extras.
Review mandatory training and events and optional career development opportunities to agree how these will be managed within part-time hours.
3. Establish the ground rules.
Agree ways of working and regularly review these - even if it's just to confirm that yes, they are still fit for purpose.
4. Stay curious.
Reflect on your internal bias regarding part-time work and keep an open and flexible mindset.
7. What can I do to set myself up for success working part-time?
1. Be clear about why you're doing this.
Is it to give you more time with your children? Is it to reduce your childcare costs? Is it to provide you with more control over your time at work? Whatever the reason, identifying your key driver is essential for understanding what success will look like for you.
2. Set yourself up for success.
If you reduce your hours but your objectives stay the same, it will eventually become unsustainable. If it's impossible to change your goals, keep the conversation going with your manager about what you should prioritise and when. If you can craft a shared understanding of what success looks like for both of you, you've laid the foundations for an effective working relationship going forward.
3. Acknowledge this is a new skill you're developing.
Working part-time requires strong communication, self-management, prioritisation, and relationship building. You will make mistakes; it will take time to find your rhythm. And if you're moving to part-time work as you begin your journey as a working parent, never underestimate the scale of the change you're embarking on.
4. Remember, this is not forever.
You likely have many decades of working ahead of you, and there are many ways in which your career can and will develop.
8. What do other parents say about working part-time?
"I'd love to work part-time but I just can't do it. I've put so much into my career I don't think I can walk away but at the same time, I know I'm not going to get this time back. It feels impossible."
"I'm really conscious that I'm treading a new path, creating a new normal, and building doors behind me that will make it easier for other parents coming after me. So yes, it can feel hard, but it will only change if we each do the work that needs to be done."
"I try to be really supportive of the people working part-time in my team. I wish I could work part-time as well but it's just not an option at this level of the organisation."
"In the early days, it felt like my career was running through my fingers but nearly 10 years on I'm not sure I can ever see myself going back to full-time work."
"We have core working hours, this has given everyone a level playing field when it comes to being visible in the organisation whether they're part-time or full-time."
"Weirdly, even though I work part-time, in some ways I feel I have less flexibility than people working full-time. It's so hard to get everything done in the time I've got."
"I feel so lucky to be able to work part-time and I think I feel I need to prove I can still do the job and not let anyone down. So even on the days I'm not working I'm still checking my email, keeping on top of things."