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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask why young people without children work part time?

666 replies

RosesinGranGransgarden · 20/06/2020 10:28

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.

OP posts:
Tubs11 · 21/06/2020 19:39

worked my socks off when I was younger as I wanted to be able to buy a place of my own and have disposable income to do whatever I liked. I now work part time as I have a family. I think when they are older I'll go back full time as I enjoy what I do. I guess thats the trick, if you like what you do then it really isn't work. I'm glad I burnt the oil at both ends when I was younger as it was fun and can retire early if I want. Though I've picked up a shedload of hobbies in lockdown so might just stay pt lol

Devaki · 21/06/2020 19:43

Because they can afford to? No expense of children. I could afford not to work if I didn’t have 3 kids. All my money goes on them.

RidingMyBike · 21/06/2020 19:52

I should imagine they have many reasons. I just added it up and I’ve had a job of some kind for 22 years but have only worked full time for 6.5 of those years.

Six years at university whilst working part-time. Several years of self-employment when I chose to work four days a week so that I could go to counselling appts and generally sort my life out after a breakdown. Then, after several years of full time work I found a job closer to home that was offering the same salary for 3 days a week that I was then earning in 5 (once commuting costs taken into account). It was a no brainer - moved jobs, quality of life improved dramatically (much less stressful), used the extra time each week to take an extra qualification, do some voluntary work and enjoy hobbies. Since then I’ve had a child so it’s different again!

LegallyBrunet · 21/06/2020 20:17

I’m doing a Masters, I’m working PT around that

Rachand23 · 21/06/2020 20:29

I never worked p/t even when bringing the kids up, it was always full time. The trouble with part time work is your employer usually wants you to cram in a weeks work into your part time hours so easier to work full time and get the extra benefits.

Yorkshiretolondon · 21/06/2020 20:32

In my kind of work don’t really have part time opportunities... I prob would if I could... although I’m in my late 40s and have a 9 year old.... I am exhausted lol

Doubletrouble99 · 21/06/2020 20:37

Having been a retail a manager I know of quite a few retailers who only hire part time/zero hours staff. The same when it comes to warehousing work 4 hour shifts mean you don't need to give staff paid breaks so cheaper and you can move their times around to suit your trade.

Justploddingon · 21/06/2020 20:40

They could also be studying and so divide their time between the 2

autopilotpeach · 21/06/2020 20:43

because alot of young people still live with parents so they dont have that extra pressure of having to pay rent bills, or they are a student and studying besides work, things are abit different when you have your own home you have no choice to work ridiculous hours to pay the bills etc

Sockbogies · 21/06/2020 20:48

Appreciate retirement seems a long way off when you're young - but what about pensions? Working part time to pursue hobbies might seem like a good idea now,but longer term it's going to bite? I say that as someone who has worked part time whilst raising family and am now trying to catch up!

PrincessConsuelaVaginaHammock · 21/06/2020 21:27

@Sockbogies

Appreciate retirement seems a long way off when you're young - but what about pensions? Working part time to pursue hobbies might seem like a good idea now,but longer term it's going to bite? I say that as someone who has worked part time whilst raising family and am now trying to catch up!
For all the OP knows, her colleagues could be doing or working towards doing something more lucrative on the days they're not working alongside her. But even if they're just relaxing, a low earner in their 20s might very well calculate that a comfortable retirement is going to be well beyond them whether they work 4 or 5 days a week on close to NMW. And they wouldn't be far wrong.
Zoejj77 · 21/06/2020 22:07

I work with some people in that similar age bracket (not directly working within their place of work tho) and a lot don’t seem to be motivated by money like I was at that age. I find it weird as everything is so expensive now but they seem to make do

Mmmmycorona · 21/06/2020 22:09

Why not?

Aloux · 21/06/2020 22:30

Non of your business really is it 🤔🤣

ishouldtryabitmoreachday · 21/06/2020 22:37

A few years back everyone used to work 16 hours at my work ( retail) they wouldn't do overtime as it affected their benefits. Is it this? I don't know if there is a current hours cap? They basically said they were better off working but not better off working more than 16 hours a week.

ishouldtryabitmoreachday · 21/06/2020 22:38

I worked part time 16 hours too, but I was at uni, no benefits, just student loans.

Leontine · 21/06/2020 22:41

^ That’s only applicable for disability benefits I think.

mumoid · 21/06/2020 22:41

Houses used to be affordable. If you’re young and specially young and single these days, you could work your socks off in retail for decades and never be able to afford one sans bank of mum and dad. Goal posts are changing all the time re pensions. I can totally see why younger people have no faith in working to save.

Leontine · 21/06/2020 22:42

You can only work 16 hours if you’re receiving Employment and Support Allowance.

katrin174 · 21/06/2020 22:55

I worked full time for three years after leaving university and hated it. I then changed jobs and worked part time and was so much happier. For me money is less important than my time and happiness.

WhatwouldLangdo · 21/06/2020 22:56

Your judgemental attitude might give you a little hint as to why no one has disclosed any disabilities to you. Hmm

Not that's it's any of your business, but I work part time because I'm disabled. The kicker is that my health is unpredictable from day to day. Some days I could work an 8hr shift, other days I can't sit up in bed. Wouldn't last long in a full time job with that caveat, would I?

Thanks to the Tories ripping industries to shreds, we also live in a gig economy where there are few full time opportunities anyway. I'm 25 and I've never had just 1 job. Worked through my undergrad, graduated and worked 2 jobs, then worked through my postgrad and now have 3 part time jobs. We're not all lazy, workshy scroungers despite the moral panic that some older people believe..

LittleLuna85 · 21/06/2020 23:05

I suffered with depression and anxiety throughout my twenties, so worked part time for a while until I was well enough to work full time. I've never really been driven by money or having a career, just as long as I have enough to live on. I always wanted to be a Mummy though, now I have a gorgeous little boy and I work a few evenings a week so I can take care of him in the day, but still have a bit of money to treat him.

Belowwreck · 21/06/2020 23:09

@Gbtch

Is it to do with benefits? If you work less than x hours you get benefit top ups, including rent. Exceed these hours and you get nothing?
Working tax credits for people with disabilities works like this - but it's been phased out.
Housemum · 21/06/2020 23:14

I work in a part time role and have worked alongside younger people doing 3 or 4 days a week for reasons including:

  • an artist who wanted some money whilst pursuing their real passion
  • someone who wanted to work in this area but couldn’t get the job they wanted without some relevant experience (since moved on to a full time role in the same organisation
  • someone with anxiety who needed time to build towards a full time role
  • someone doing a part time OU degree
AintNoMaryPoppins · 21/06/2020 23:19

What a stupid OP.

The world doesn't revolve around parents and children.

Maybe they don't want to work full time? Maybe they can afford not to? Maybe they have a life and hobbies outside of work?

Maybe it's none of your business?

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