To ask why young people without children work part time?

[RosesinGranGransgarden]

Going to get flamed for this but here goes!

In every single job I've been in I've worked with people younger than me who work part time hours. I can't quite get my head around it.
In my previous job I was a retail manager. Most of the staff were young, 20-30, none had kids apart from me and one other lady. We used to have a sheet of overtime shifts up and I used to have to beg staff to work it. These are young people, not studying, none with disabilities that they disclosed to me, most were renting/ house sharing. I never understood why they didn't want to work more hours, get more money for house deposits, travelling etc.
Another job I was an admin assistant and two or three of the other admin were young women, married with no children, who worked three or four days a week. Why?! Even if their husbands earned enough to support them, shouldn't they have worked to save for maternity leave, holidays, nice car etc.
I know money doesn't motivate a lot of people but as a young, childfree person, I would have never thought to apply for a part time job, unless I could be assured there was overtime. If not for financial reasons then just out of boredom, as all my friends would have been working full time.
Currently I work 32 hours due to no afterschool club, my colleague works the same hours. She said to me yesterday she wants to drop a day as she's exhausted. She's 28?! We work in an office together. She moans about not being a homeowner, why not work more hours?
Sorry rant over.

[lazylinguist]

Haven't rtft, but if you can afford it, why not?! There's more to life than work. People aren't morally superior just because they work more hours.

[Washyourhands48]

@vanillandhoney, no round of applause needed but mortgage paid off before I was 40, no sponging of tax credits and some pride in my life,

[gumball37]

@thatmustbenigelwiththebrie

I am not young (38) but I am childless and I work 21 hours a week. This is because I don't really like working and have lots of other things I'd rather have the time and energy to do instead.

I don't earn masses, but enough to pay my share of the bills and mortgage which is split 50/50 with my DP. I would rather be poor and happy.

I have 3 kids and work part time.... But your last sentence is exactly it. I'd much rather be rich in happiness than in money!

[Gwenhwyfar]

"I have never understood why people who earn plenty of money and have negotiating power with their employers (or are self-employed) choose to continue working full-time. If they absolutely love their job then I can see it, of course."

I've wondered this and thought about two possibilities. One is that a lot of the high paid jobs just can't be done part time so it's that job or something completely different and the other is that people tend to live up to their means so the more they earn, the more they want.

Many high earners to work part time of course - loads of GPs do apparently.

[Anonymoussumo]

passion was travelling, more money I earned, more places I could go grin

But that's you, OP. Your mistake is thinking that everyone should be thinking the same way you do.

[vanillandhoney]

@Washyourhands48

I’m childfree so I am perfectly aware that life does not revolve around kids.

I’m the same OP, the number of people I know in their twenties, still at home existing on 10 hour a week retail contracts is ? When I was in my twenties I was working full time 9-5 and did about 16 hours of bar work on top.

What do you want, a round of applause?

Some of us don't want to work 60+ hours a week and plan our lives and lifestyles accordingly.

[Erictheavocado]

I mean, a whole day off for reading or going to the gym? That's a massively luxury that most people in their fifties don't have.

This comment, which I agree sounds rather bitter and jealous, can easily be answered. For those of us in our fifties, especially the late fifties, as I said in my previous post, our retirement age was ecpextedyto be 60. So we planned for that and expected that, potential health issues aside, we would enjoy a retirement of anything up to around 20+ years. Therefore, we planned our finances around that, ensuring we'd be mortgage free etc by the time we retired and could use our retirement to travel etc.
Young people today hope to be able to retire by around 70,if at all. Consequently, not only do they need to plan for a retirement much further in the future, but also to consider whether they want to use some if their tine now to travel/follow hobbies etc. And since house prices are, for so many, so far out of their reach, dropping a day or two at work probably isn't going to make a lot of difference to them as many of them would never be able to own their own home, however many days they work. I don't blame them at all for working part time.

[dayslikethese1]

I'd be willing to bet they're doing something else on the side like a second job or a side hustle, internship/volunteering etc. if they're recent graduates in retail. I'm not sure why people are giving examples of being able to earn high amounts on PT hours though; the OP's example is relating to low wage workers. If they're not working another job I'm not sure how they afford to live in an expensive city (as OP puts it) on PT hours. It's not about affording "luxuries" it's paying rent/electric etc. Maybe they live at home and don't have to pay rent? Up to their parents I guess, mine certainly wouldn't have let me do that without good reason (which I respect) but maybe others don't mind.

[thatmustbenigelwiththebrie]

I am not young (38) but I am childless and I work 21 hours a week. This is because I don't really like working and have lots of other things I'd rather have the time and energy to do instead.

I don't earn masses, but enough to pay my share of the bills and mortgage which is split 50/50 with my DP. I would rather be poor and happy.

[FelicisNox]

As others have said it depends on the job role you're in, what your lifestyle is outside of work etc.

I know a couple of 20 somethings who are still living with mums due to the fact that their parents split so their single parent has basically said "stay as long as you like" because it's company for them.

Given that option why would you put yourself out? I've also met a lot of student nurses who have become jaded 2years into training and said "this is way too hard to do full time".

There are so many variables and young people generally fall into 2 categories:

1. career driven, not that bothered by kids but see the value in owning their own property after seeing their parents struggle.
   
   
2. those that have the safety net of parents and aren't that bothered by having a career or their own home.

[sammylady37]

I’m no longer young, but I’m single and have no kids, and will never have kids. I’d love to work part time but my job is such that I would inevitably end up doing the same amount of work in 4 days and for less money- I’d really resent that so I’m staying full time. But if I could go part time and actually have my workload reduced, not just my income, I’d do it in a heartbeat.

[Marellaspirit]

I don't have kids, nor do I want them. I currently work full time and it's exhausting- 40 hours over 4 days and 3 nights out of these 4 I have extra commitments. I would go part time in a heartbeat, if only to give me a bit of breathing space between finishing work and going to my other commitments. Money isn't the be all and end all...I would rather be less tired and happier! I could afford to work part time but my job doesn't really allow for it.

[ThanksForAllTheFish]

I had two part time jobs when I was younger. First job I enjoyed but couldn’t give me enough hours, they only offered 20 hours per week max in contracts but sometimes would have overtime. My contract was for 18 hours per week but I could usually pick up an extra shift or two to take me to 24/30 hours. My other part time job was in the evenings, 3 nights per week as that was all that was available. I could do 45+ hours easily in a week.

Lots of jobs, particularly small businesses, only offer part time hours as it’s cheaper for them (the employer). If staff worked more hours it bumps up what they have to pay in National Insurance and pension contributions.

I’ve noticed in the job market recently most jobs are either - part time and usually 16-20 hours or full time but you need to be fully flexible to work weekends/evening and it’s a rotating shift (no set hours) so planning childcare and working round my DH shifts (he does a combination of days and nights) make it too difficult for me to find another job. My current job is ok but not ideal. It works for hours and childcare but it’s boring and I would like something that uses a bit more brain power (like my previous job that made me redundant).

[Shinebright72]

@Susan1961

I don't think people want the commitment anymore, if they can manage financially not working full time. I've managed working part-time for six years, am 58, times have changed.

For the younger generation it’s a whole different ball game. I don’t think it’s a case of “would like”. Times have changed indeed the pension/retirement is the best part of 70 and this is at the moment!

The living cost is huge for today.

[Shinebright72]

@BeijingBikini

Some people earn good salaries in their 20s and can afford the lifestyle they want AND to save for a house, without needing to work themselves into the ground. Minimum wage isn't the only wage out there.

Even people on a good salary will probably work full time though. It’s obviously up to an individual how many hours they want to work it’s not the norm though. Your comment is also a bit shitty towards people earning min wage.

[motherheroic]

@kelcys2175 Lazy or don't have the same priorities as you? Your way isn't the only way.

[Lonelykettleshed]

Apologies, haven't read the full thread. I moved to part time in my late 30s despite being child free. I had elderly parents who needed help and trying to help them, work 50+ hours a week, spend 2-3 hours a day commuting and maintain my own life was too much. A few years on, my DM has passed away and my DF doesn't need as much help. I'm still part time though - I can afford it and enjoy having the extra time to live my life.

[Localocal]

I think your situation is unusual - most childless young adults want to work full time. But I also think the price of property rental is part of it. You can't afford to live alone in the London area on a retail wage. So most of these young people probably live with their families. If they aren't paying rent then a part time wage is probably enough to meet their day to day needs.

[BeijingBikini]

Some people earn good salaries in their 20s and can afford the lifestyle they want AND to save for a house, without needing to work themselves into the ground. Minimum wage isn't the only wage out there.

[PrincessConsuelaVaginaHammock]

@Washyourhands48

I’m childfree so I am perfectly aware that life does not revolve around kids.

I’m the same OP, the number of people I know in their twenties, still at home existing on 10 hour a week retail contracts is ? When I was in my twenties I was working full time 9-5 and did about 16 hours of bar work on top.

That sounds unpleasant.

[Washyourhands48]

I’m childfree so I am perfectly aware that life does not revolve around kids.

I’m the same OP, the number of people I know in their twenties, still at home existing on 10 hour a week retail contracts is ? When I was in my twenties I was working full time 9-5 and did about 16 hours of bar work on top.

[IntermittentParps]

Sorry, bold fail

[IntermittentParps]

I mean, a whole day off for reading or going to the gym? That's a massively luxury that most people in their fifties don't have.
So what? Why do you resent this so much?
I think we might all be happier and healthier if we ALL had a bit more time off without the usual accompanying financial worries.

[Ferret27]

I’m with you OP .. the simple truth is these kids are subsidised more often than not by parents who just aren’t helping them learn that you need to earn your own way in life .. I have nephews like this and friends and work colleagues who say they know too many children who are like this .. and see parents struggling as they won’t say no to constant cash handouts ... I worked every shift I could while studying and every holiday ... occasional help from family is fine and as I got older I was able to help my family in return .... I worry for a lot of young people as they struggle and give up on things too quickly ... but I do know some shining stars too

[Nousernamehistory]

@kelcys2175

Well I work part time (across 3 jobs but still less that 30 hrs a week). I bought a 2 bed terraced house with a front and back garden in January, completely by myself with no help from my mum (l/c with my dad who doesn't live in the country - no help from him either). Must be something you're doing wrong if someone as lazy as me can manage all that while you presumably ran yourself into the ground for a flat