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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask why are part time workers disliked?

285 replies

CherryCocoa · 01/01/2021 19:08

I've recently returned to work but part time. It would appear that a lot of people higher than me are not keen on part time workers but I don't understand why? I work hard, I am conscientious, none of my work is passed to anyone else, but yet I'm still looked down on for being part time. Is it seen as lazy maybe? I work 30+ hours a week, I have a baby to look after and a house to run and obviously my pay is pro rata to account for less hours. I'm not a lazy person at all. I just don't get it, can anyone shed the light for me please?

OP posts:
shouldistop · 01/01/2021 19:10

I've never experienced this tbh.

Sparklesocks · 01/01/2021 19:11

I haven’t experienced that in my particular industry/job, there are a lot of part time workers - many with childcare responsibilities etc. If anything they’re well respected as some of them are squeezing full time jobs into less hours! What sort of issues have you encountered?

lockitdown · 01/01/2021 19:11

OMG OP, I agree. People seemed to have a major thing about PT workers in a couple of my workplaces.

StephenBelafonte · 01/01/2021 19:13

A huge proportion of women work part time just to receive tax credits in my experience. It's not the job they want, it's the tax credits and all other associated benefits that come with it. I'm not saying everyone, but a sizable majority.

It puts people like the OP at a disadvantage because inevitably, we all get tarred with the same brush.

mbosnz · 01/01/2021 19:13

Yup, know what you mean. Had a full time manager do a full on vent about part time workers to me - and it was aimed at her main butt licker, and the really funny thing was she didn't like me (couldn't stand me!), but I did more hours than number 1 BL. . .

Hardbackwriter · 01/01/2021 19:13

I haven't experienced this either. Have you just returned from maternity leave? If so it may be that that these dinosaurs don't like rather than the fact you work part-time; sadly a lot of mothers find they suffer in the workplace due to other people's assumptions. Either way it sounds like a horrible place to work so sympathies.

MojoMoon · 01/01/2021 19:13

Having full time staff can be less work. Fewer annual appraisals, pay review meetings, holiday form approvals, training requests, HR meetings, etc etc.

Having to train two people rather than one is more expensive and time consuming - two people to send on courses, two people who need someone to show them what to do.

(I think part time work can also help retain good staff but you only asked why management did not like it)

CherryCocoa · 01/01/2021 19:16

It seems to be a bit of joke between my closer colleagues which is fine. I know they joking. But otherwise it seems that part time workers are not really desired. I can really explain it any more because I don't understand it myself. I was hoping for someone to have an idea as to why this is.

OP posts:
Hemelbelle · 01/01/2021 19:18

30 hours+ is considered full time. I have worked more part time than that for 25 of the past 30 years and never considered myself as less valued by my colleagues or employer; although promotion is harder if I have wanted to stay part time. Perhaps it is the industry you are in. I work in the NHS.

CherryCocoa · 01/01/2021 19:19

Yes just returned from maternity.

I earn a good wage so no tax credits for me to claim.

I don't have a counterpart jobshare as the type of work I do it isn't required.

OP posts:
CherryCocoa · 01/01/2021 19:21

@Hemelbelle that's the ironic thing on the Gov.UK website the hours I work are FT, just not for my industry. The standard is 40.

OP posts:
CaptainMarvelDanvers · 01/01/2021 19:22

@StephenBelafonte

A huge proportion of women work part time just to receive tax credits in my experience. It's not the job they want, it's the tax credits and all other associated benefits that come with it. I'm not saying everyone, but a sizable majority.

It puts people like the OP at a disadvantage because inevitably, we all get tarred with the same brush.

Single people with no children have to work a minimum of 30 hours a week for WTC. At that point you’re more likely to work full time hours plus WTC. Hardly a money maker.

Single parents have to work a minimum of 16 hours, but they also have the responsibility of raising a child. I doubt they are swimming in cash.

HTH1 · 01/01/2021 19:23

I think it can be seen as inconvenient for clients and showing a lack of commitment (I’m a fan of PT working though and disagree with such views).

Bargebill19 · 01/01/2021 19:25

Jealousy?!

Gwenhwyfar · 01/01/2021 19:26

@MojoMoon

Having full time staff can be less work. Fewer annual appraisals, pay review meetings, holiday form approvals, training requests, HR meetings, etc etc.

Having to train two people rather than one is more expensive and time consuming - two people to send on courses, two people who need someone to show them what to do.

(I think part time work can also help retain good staff but you only asked why management did not like it)

This, and also desk space. The desk space issue was a thing in one of my old jobs. Nowadays there's more hot desking, but I presume (hope anyway) that Covid has stopped that so a desk for someone who works one day a week, for example, would be empty most of the time. From colleagues, there's probably some jealousy from those who could never afford to work part time.
GeordieGreigsButtButtZoom · 01/01/2021 19:26

@StephenBelafonte

A huge proportion of women work part time just to receive tax credits in my experience. It's not the job they want, it's the tax credits and all other associated benefits that come with it. I'm not saying everyone, but a sizable majority.

It puts people like the OP at a disadvantage because inevitably, we all get tarred with the same brush.

How is that any different to working because you need the money? As long as you do the job and are a decent employee and colleague, why would anyone hold this against you?
AppleKatie · 01/01/2021 19:28

It’s nonsensical and often thinly veiled sexism op. It’s shit though.

I work part time and so understand.

I work very (very!) hard to be taken as seriously as a full timer. It’s working (slowly) but I’m five years into part time and actually now being paid for more hours than I am officially in work (to compensate me for what I am doing). It means I don’t take breaks and generally work 4 10-11 hour days (and fire fight via email on the 5th).

Mincepiehangover · 01/01/2021 19:31

I used to be really jealous of my colleague who worked part time because from where l was sitting she could just log off and go home at 2pm and leave jobs for others to finish. It was only when l had a baby that l realised how much she was juggling that l thought full time with no kids was an easier life than part time with kids and l apologise to her for being the way l was (it was all done in a banterish way and she used to laugh bit l genuinely had no idea that her day would stay all over again when she got home). So the answer OP could be jealousy.

CherryCocoa · 01/01/2021 19:32

I'm not client facing so no one from outside the organisation will be inconvenienced by me not being in. It also makes no difference to management if I'm in. It doesn't really affect anyone tbh. It's like being down one person in the running of a supermarket - a bit frustrating but not going to grind the shop to a halt.

OP posts:
AlexaShutUp · 01/01/2021 19:33

No, I don't think people consider part-time workers lazy.

If I'm totally honest (and it pains me to say this because I know how important flexible working is to keep women in the workplace), PT staff can be a bit of a pain in the arse for managers because it takes more time to manage multiple part timers than full timers - e.g. if someone is, say, 0.5FTE, they still need the same amount of regular 1:1s, appraisals etc. Having two 0.5FTE staff takes up twice as much of the manager's time as one 1FTE person. Then training tends to be less efficient, as the PT person still needs to attend as much training but proportionately, it takes far more time out of their working hours, and it costs twice as much to train two PT staff as it does one FT person. And there are actually very few part time roles in my experience where there is genuinely nothing for others to pick up on their days off, even if it's pretty minimal.

There are some advantages to having PT staff, too. There is less impact, for example, from one PT person going off sick if there are other PT staff in similar roles. Holiday cover is also less of a headache, and when PT are able to do additional hours to help in busy periods, that can be very helpful.

Of course, the biggest advantage of PT working is that you are able to retain the skills and contributions of valued members of staff who might otherwise seek employment elsewhere that better suits their work-life balance. As a feminist, I'm very keen to support women to stay in the workplace, and so I have always tried my very hardest to support requests for PT working - in fact, I don't think I have ever refused one yet - but if I'm totally honest, my heart often sinks a bit when people ask to reduce their hours. It's a pain that I'm wiling to suck up, because I value my team and want them to have a good work-life balance...but I know that it will create more work for me and push costs up in the longer term.

Drummachinesandlandslides · 01/01/2021 19:33

I worked in a university finance office for many years full time. Worked hard and was well thought of. After having my first child I returned part time (3 full days), and continued with part time hours after having my second child (4 shorter days). I truly believe attitudes towards me changed when I reduced my hours to the 4 shorter days. I felt unliked and undervalued. Most of my colleagues were full time and there were quite a few occasions when I felt / was slighted. I eventually and reluctantly made the decision to leave.
I also was not in receipt of any tax credits.
I now work from home in a more flexible role and am happier for it. OP, in my experience, what you are saying is true.

Abouttimemum · 01/01/2021 19:34

Not really an issue at my place, but I do get irritated by the ‘enjoy your days off’ wink wink statements I get. I mean they aren’t days off, they are days I don’t work, and that I don’t get paid for. The days I do work are far easier tbh. I’m quite happy to remind people about this if they’re being arsey.

CherryCocoa · 01/01/2021 19:37

@mincepiehangover maybe that is it. Aren't those days tough though. Getting home to start the next part of the day. I currently get ignored by DS as punishment for leaving him - the little monkey but it does break my heart.

OP posts:
AlexaShutUp · 01/01/2021 19:37

I would add, though, that I hope my teams have always been totally unaware of what I have shared above...the fact that it's a pain in the arse for me as a manager is my problem, and I wouldn't want the PT staff to feel any less valued. It is precisely because they are valued that I'm prepared to put up with the inconvenience.

Bvop · 01/01/2021 19:37

I love having part-timers working for me as I find them more productive than the average full-timer, as they need to get the job done in a fixed period of time. I was part time myself for about 13 years so I know what it’s like.

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