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.

@oneliner

I am so curious to know how many young people you know in order to make such a broad generalisation.

We are the product of generations before us.

We have seen how hard and how much the generations prior to us worked and how much it wore them down and we don't like it.

We work less, for less money, to enjoy life more.

Becoming a grumpy old bat like you is not our intention, so we shall proceed to do the opposite of what you would like.

Op, you should have worked for airline. Very small time of actually working, free travelling the world with hotel and expenses paid.

I think some people are just happy to earn enough and have life outside.

[quote Waxonwaxoff0]@JessicaFletcherColumbo you can only do that if you have dependent children. You can't choose to do it if you have no kids and just fancy working less hours.[/quote]
Its ended to new claims but WTC were also for people with conditions that made it hard to work.

I know a colleague who does this, yes. In her twenties. What most people except a couple of close work friends know is that she's a carer to not 1 but 2 relatives (elderly and disabled respectively) who she lives with.

Her work ethic is to be commended, not judged.

I worked 3 jobs in my early 20’s, I work part time now I have kids.

I guess no one wants to work unless they really have too these days, many still live with parents, some rent free so they don’t need a huge income, though when I was younger the aim was to get enough money to move out.

I think they're right to. Maybe they're studying or want to live some of their lives and not revolve their whole existence around a job. I would have if I could have.

I’ve always worked full time until this year age 54 with adult DC, but I never studied, never worked in retail where most jobs are part time and never had to take on 2-3 part time jobs in different l,aces because I couldn’t get a full time one.

Maybe those are amongst the reasons?

Two young people I know (21 & 23) both work part-time because that's all they can get. One works in a shop (big chain), and all the staff in there are part-timers, they won't employ anyone full-time, they would rather have 20 part-time than 10 full-time and have to give them a pension etc. The other one is in hospitality, so you can guess how that's going just now.

Neither of them can get a full-time job; there aren't any to be had round here, especially at the moment.

I don't personally understand the drive to work full time unless you need/ want the money. I'd much rather have more time/ less stress. When you're earning money to buy shit you don't really need it all seems a bit pointless, but whatever makes people happy

There are many reasons why someone may choose to work part-time hours whether they have children or not; the point is, it's actually none of your business. You say they're not studying and not disabled - but with the greatest of respect, how do you know? They could be doing post-grad studies and/or they could have an underlying medical condition that they haven't told you about - and nor should they have to - they don't have to tell you anything if it doesn't impact how they do their job.

I studied while working - my employer knew nothing about it. My personal life is exactly that - personal - my employer knows very little about my private life and my personal interests. Even if I'm studying something to further my career - if I'm paying for it myself and it doesn't impact how I do my job, then it's nothing to do with my employer unless and until I use the qualification to either go for better job in my company or to go work elsewhere.

Perhaps their part time job isn't their "main gig". Perhaps they're writing, pursuing creative interests, perhaps they are building a business and are just keeping earnings ticking over until the business takes off. Perhaps they are actors and are keeping money coming in while keeping time free for auditions... perhaps they are doing an unpaid internship in a specialised field to get experience for their actual chosen career... or perhaps they quite simply don't need/want the extra money or the stress of a full time job.

I knew someone who was young, working part-time hours as a waitress in a cafe in a rather expensive and beautiful city. She owned a very impressive house in a nice part of that city. She was single, no children. It didn't half upset people that they didn't know how she could afford such a house while doing the part time job she did. She got so much hassle about it that eventually she did explain; she'd actually had a lottery win. Bought her house free and clear, beautifully furnished, everything paid for, had money set aside for bills, for retirement, employed a cleaner.... she did the part time job for some social interaction and a bit of pocket money - she enjoyed it. Nothing more. She got herself completely set up and lived a comfortable but simple life. Did her part time job, a holiday once a year, and just enjoyed a stress-free life.

Bottom line is you have no idea what is going on with anyone - but the fact is, they are under no obligation to justify their life choices to you. You say the money must be coming from somewhere - possibly it is, but it not your business where it comes from or why they are living as they are. Frankly, if they are in a position where they can work part-time and live a happy life - whatever that life looks like - then fair play to them.

These days people are much better off than they were so part time becomes possible

I actually think the opposite is true. I envy my parents generation who could have a family off one job and one sahp. And don't get me started on getting in the housing ladder. The Uk doesn't offer much for your money so we all end up slaves to working

I worked part time because I wanted to. HTH.

@Twinklelittlestar1

I don't personally understand the drive to work full time unless you need/ want the money. I'd much rather have more time/ less stress. When you're earning money to buy shit you don't really need it all seems a bit pointless, but whatever makes people happy

Christ, Amen to that.

I love working part-time. I have time to dedicate to what really matters to me, which isn't slaving away to line someone else's pockets.

These days people are much better off than they were so part time becomes possible errr no! Complete opposite actually, every statistic and case study proves otherwise.

@RosesinGranGransgarden So you 'can't think of one interest that I had in my early twenties that I couldn't have done around full time work or that wouldn't have benefitted by my earning more money. "

This is tricky, I know, but stick with me here... some people have interests, hobbies, thoughts, and lives that are COMPLETELY different from yours.

I, for example, am not young, but as my only child died as a little toddler many years ago, I don't have any child care responsibilities (I would never refer to myself as childless or child-free so that's the simplest way to put it). I work part-time because I prefer reading, baking, knitting, drawing, walking, and sleeping to software development. I do exactly as much of it as is required to afford my life, including emergency savings, retirement at age 60, etc. and not one second more - currently about 20 hours per week. I'm freelance now but for many years I had to fight for flexible working and part-time hours because of people who thought that only people with child-care responsibilities should have those options. I hope you don't think the same.

i work part-time because I prefer reading, baking, knitting, drawing, walking, and sleeping to software development I do understand this but I find it harder to understand from someone in their 20s. Working was how I socialised and “enjoyed” my time in my 20s- I personally found enough time in the evenings and weekends and holidays to enjoy all the other things I enjoyed doing, and I had more money to do so. I personally wouldn’t have chosen at that age to take home less money to spend a Friday alone whilst my friends worked.

@onlyFoolsnMothers fair enough I guess, but I had the same interests in my 20s for the most part as I do today (though I would have added 'smoking a shedload of weed' to the list back then, haha) and I have female friends much younger than me today who are much more interested in homey hobbies than going out. There's even a cringey name for it - 'cottage-core'.

I'm in my 20s without kids and so far have always worked full time but if I found a job that paid what I need to live a nice life I would be part time in a flash.

@OnlyFoolsnMothers

These days people are much better off than they were so part time becomes possible errr no! Complete opposite actually, every statistic and case study proves otherwise.

People in their 20s do have more disposable income now than they did in the past because they have are settling down and having children later and continuing to live with their parents in many cases.

I was happy enough bringing home 600 pounds a month in my early twenties. Rented a cheap 300pcm studio flat which I slept in and not much else. Couple of days in work, payed the rent, council tax and electric and gave me a bit of pocket money.

I spent my days climbing mountains and tackling long distance walking paths instead, often camping. Did an OU degree too. I just didnt feel the need to have material things and was happy with second hand clothes. Not having the freedom I had would have made me miserable

Now approaching my 30s with a baby and not working. Partner earns a grand a month, we dont claim benefits other than child benefits.

Live in a 3 bedroom house in the middle of nowhere with a field for a garden, costs us 400 pcm and no rates so plenty of spare money. Things are still second hand, not many material goods, grow our own veggies, perfectly happy. Lots of time to do things together, still walking and climbing and camping as a family. Never had holidays abroad

People sometimes live simple lives happily, we do and would be miserable trading this for money

The problem is that people get stuck, you graduate, you find a job you don't hate, it's easy, there's banter and free food, you have a few knock backs in your chosen career, the next minute you've been there ten years.

I understand what you're saying, OP, and agree completely. When I was in my twenties I was working FT in a graduate training position and studying for professional qualifications at night. I still had time to do other things.

I think a lot of it is due to energy levels - I almost feel that the busier I am, the more I can get done (you know the saying, something like: "If you need something doing, ask someone busy"?) Likewise this time of quarantine has show me that when things are quiet it can take me an age to do anything. Chores expand to fit the time you give them. I would imagine that after a few years of PT work, working FT feels like some kind of gargantuan task. Whereas for typically industrious people, FT is a walk in the park.

We have seen how hard and how much the generations prior to us worked and how much it wore them down and we don't like it.

I think this is it for me. I look at the senior managers in my work and think, you're really not selling senior management to me! They come in at 8, have lunch in a meeting, leave at 6:30, say a cursory goodnight to the wife and kids they never see, then log back in till 11pm. They have to fly for business every fortnight and often work Sundays. WTF is the point! I'd rather just drop down dead straight away. The whole point of working is so I can clock off at 4:45, hop on a train to London and do some evening classes.

And I get that they might "love their jobs", but they're not saving lives or inspiring people, they're literally just working out how to make the company more profitable. Sorry, don't get it.

The aim isn't to get more people working all the time they are awake, but to reduce work in favour of leisure, study and so on. If your work is also your hobby that's fine, but otherwise working is a means to an end not the end itself.

Remember Boxer from animal farm?

You sound a bit jealous? There's more to life than kids and full time work, thread over.