Dive Brief:
- Full-time workers are increasingly likely to seek part-time jobs due to the flexibility associated with the latter, according to a new national survey.
- The Part-Time vs. Full-Time Work Survey, from RecruitFi, an expert referral system (ERS) for the recruiting community, found that when part-time workers were asked why they worked part-time, 43% said they do it voluntarily (compared to 31% who said they work part-time because it's the only option available to them). Of the full-time employees surveyed, 54% cited they would voluntarily work part-time if given an opportunity; leaving their current full-time positions or scaling back on hours.
- As the "gig economy" increasingly grows, the option of choosing part-time work has become more of a consideration than ever before. In fact, 37% of current full-time respondents cited that they are now more likely to consider part-time work than in the past.
Dive Insight:
"Now, more than ever before, people are voluntarily choosing to work part-time in order to receive a better work-life balance and other perks that come with a flexible work schedule," said Brin McCagg, Recruit-Fi CEO and co-founder. "By taking a deep dive into the key drivers behind these career decisions, the survey findings illustrate that organizations must evolve to meet the demands of both full-time and part-time workers."
However, though more employees are starting to voluntarily choose part-time over full-time work, these workers do acknowledge the choice is not without possible negative career implications. The majority of respondents feel that the primary negative career implication associated with the move from full-time to part-time work is the loss of money (84%),followed by loss of benefits (66%), increased risk of being "let go" (39%) and loss of status/credibility/prestige (26%).
"It has become clear to hiring managers and recruiting firms that now more than ever there is a growing demand for part-time work," said Justin Luciani, RecruitFi COO and co-founder. "It is up to these professionals to understand this shift and adapt to the changing needs of this economy of workers."
