To ask if you work full or part time and the reasons why?

[BabyNextYear25]

My sister received news today she would not be able to return to work full time as there isn't capacity. She was a little annoyed as her youngest will be in school and she's bored at home.
It got me thinking, the vast majority of my female friends and family work part time. It would be my dream to work part time but it's not feasible at the moment. Um curious to see how many women work part time, and what is there reason behind it? But also full time as well.
My reason is simple- I was single parent and I couldn't pay my mortgage on one wage.

I’ve worked part time as a veterinary surgeon since maternity leave with DD1 who is nearly 22. Several reasons: we home educated, we had twins after DD1 and childcare was too expensive, and I couldn’t have stayed in the profession due to stress and anxiety if I had gone back full time. We do not have an extravagant lifestyle so have managed on DH’s full time wage and my part time. I am now increasing my hours as they have all moved out to uni, but will still not go back full time.

Part time since my children were born because I have no one to pick them up from school 2 days a week and DH earns more than me it made sense for me to go part time. I would love to work full time and earn extra money as we could
Certainly do with it. If I can I do over time.

4 days a week for years. Full time last 2 years and I've been promoted twice in that time.
Fully believe you are not taken seriously or seen as committed when on part time schedule. Even if, like in my case, I practically do the same amount of work!
Its all about perceptions. Tech industry.

Full time with a 3-year-old and 18-month-old. In a very fortunate position because we could afford for me not to work but frankly I'd hate looking after the kids full time (this is not a comment on women who do - I'm in awe of you! - but I personally wouldn't be happy doing it).

I could go part time, but in my industry, half the hours would be way less than half the pay, plus the pension where I work is excellent and I want to maximise the employer contributions (it also means I have my own nest egg in case my husband and I were to separate).

I know I'm in a London bubble, but most of the mums I know are highly educated, moderate-to-high earning corporate workers who have almost entirely opted to go back to work full time, or at least four days a week. I think once you earn a certain amount and have progressed so far in your career, the opportunity cost of stepping back is very high, and it's hard to get back on track. I also suspect it's because these women and their equally high earning partners can afford the childcare required to support both working full time, which is no easy task given the cost!

Part time. Role wasn't full time but was promotion.

Would prefer full time but condensed hours as I could do with the money.

Am planning on starting a business of my own to increase my pay.

Full time, I’m single with no children and have a mortgage to pay

Part-time.

I expected to be full-time by this point, but dd has ASD and brittle asthma and it just works better for our family that I am more available.

working half-time, I am also lucky enough to make far more than most people make working full time. There just isn’t a huge incentive for me to increase my hours.

I work part time (ish). Originally I went part time in my job as I was also self employed. I've since stopped the majority of my self employed work, but alongside my part time job I also do some freelance to top up my income. I couldn't afford to live on just my part time wage. Luckily my partner works full time so we manage okay.

I'm currently pregnant and ideally would like to go back to my self employed work, but WFH this time, so I can look after baby.

I will also say that prior to being self employed, I did work full time in an office based job for 10 years and it was terrible on my mental health, so I like having more time freedom and a bit more of a varied routine now.

Full time but condensed to 4 days when I returned from first mat leave. On second mat leave now and will likely return part time.

4 days a week for 11 years. Youngest has just started school and I was really looking forward to that day a week for me but I’m not actually enjoying it much.

Part time since DD was born for all the normal reasons, childcare costs etc, didn't really have a 'career' to go back to, just a job, now I'm working part time and term time, it's great. I do enjoy working for the routine, socialising and engagement but it's never been a massive passion and we can afford it, so I plan to do it as long as I can. If I have found my dream job or did something I was truly passionate about I might feel differently.

Full time. Have to as a single parent.

Full time. I've put 20 years into my career inc. college and university and am at a very high level, very well compensated for it, and love it. And it affords me all options inc. DH being SAHP and then PT.

I could request to go to PT and this would be accommodated but from my observation it just doesn't work in my role. I would end up earning half as much to be more stressed and overworked while inevitably seeing my career downgraded as clients choose someone else who can deliver to their schedule.

Full time. In jobs like mine part-time means full time work for part-time pay. I did do compressed hours (5 days in 4) in a previous job.

I work 18 hours over 3 days. I go to college one day and study the other.

I have no childcare for the holidays, so can't work full time.

I would love to earn more money but it won't be possible until DS is older.

Single parent and have always worked more than full time. Never really recovered financially from my twat of an ex running off, clearing the bank accounts, not paying child maintenance fir 6 years etc etc.
61 now and still work over 50 hrs a week.

4 days.

On my non-working day I do the food planning/shopping & house jobs and see my PT for an hour.

Worked full time until I was 41 then had my 3rd dc and went part time. I’m 55 now and have had breast cancer a few years ago, I find I get very easily exhausted, I now only work 2 days a week, literally wouldn’t cope with any more.

DH and I both work part time to share childcare, and also because I have CFS and tire easily. I’m lucky that my condition had improved so will be going up from 3 days to 4

Part time and TT only. I can afford to do so - feel very lucky compared to a lot of people I know. Couldn't afford for me to completely give up work but I also didn't want to work FT. Best of both worlds I think.

Full time. I found that working part time I had the same volume of work but less pay and holidays. The expectation was five days of work in three/four days.

Full time up until maternity leave. I'll go back 3 days a week. Frankly I've fallen out of love with my job and would rather be with my baby.

Fulltime.
Divorced from a financially abusive man in my 40’s so essentially started from scratch having lost everything. Supporting kids through uni and post grad studies then will definitely be going part time.

30 hrs (85% of FT hrs) over 4 days. We didn’t want our child in childcare 5 days so he does Tuesday- Friday. My partner does compressed FT hours to 4.5 days so we get extra time off together as family. Honestly the 4 days we’re both at work just feel like survival so I’m really grateful I’m not full-time - I’m not sure I’d ever want to go back to it tbh! Because it's not a big reduction in FT hrs it hasn’t made a significant difference to our take home.

Edit- I’m not knocking full time childcare, it’s just a choice we were able to make and I’m not passionate about my job anyway.

Same.

I went part time when I did a second degree and stayed even after finishing that.

I may go up to 2 days a week but costs are covered in 1 day a week (I am senior).. I may get bored though soon.