Part-time Work Research Articles

The protective role of employment in depression: insights from 2005 to 2018 NHANES information

BackgroundDepression is closely associated with employment status, which serves as a complex social determinant. This study explores the relationship between employment status and depression.MethodsData from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) spanning 2005 to 2018 were analyzed. The study included 29,452 participants aged 20 and older with complete data on employment and depression. Logistic regression models were applied to examine the association between employment and depression, adjusting for covariates such as age, gender, ethnicity, marital status, education, poverty-to-income ratio (PIR), BMI, diabetes, hypertension, smoking, and alcohol status.ResultsThe study revealed an overall depression prevalence of 8.61%, with significant variation across employment statuses—non-employed (11.77%), part-time (6.58%), and full-time (4.52%) workers. Employed individuals, particularly those in the 40-59 age group and with lower PIRs, showed reduced odds of depression (OR 0.42, 95% CI: 0.36–0.48, p=0.000). Stratified analyses confirmed lower depression odds for employed individuals regardless of gender or marital status.ConclusionEmployment status has a significant impact on depression risk, with full-time work showing the strongest protective effect against depressive symptoms. The study underscores the role of sociodemographic factors in depression and highlights the need for policies promoting stable employment and mental health support, especially for economically vulnerable groups.

COVID-19 risk by work-related factors: pooled analysis of individual linked data from 14 cohorts

BackgroundSARS-CoV-2 infection rates vary by occupation, but the association with work-related characteristics (such as home working, keyworker or furlough) are not fully understood and may depend on ascertainment approach. We...

Part-time working and the teacher mother: panacea or poison?

ABSTRACT Part-time work is often suggested as a panacea to the work/life challenge for teacher parents, and most notably, mothers. This paper reports findings from a wider study on the experiences of Primary and Early Years teachers who are also mothers. Four participant stories are draw upon, collected through unstructured life-history interviews with current teacher-mothers, then analysed using ecological systems discourse analysis (ESDA) to highlight predominant discourses. These include the benefits of flexible working, as well as barriers to accessing part-time work. The barriers include perceptions of flexible working and reticence from school leaders to offer job-share, as well as practical and emotional challenges that securing part-time work can bring. What is not captured in the recent literature is the way school cultures, senior leaders and discourses from the wider system could be an influential resource in supporting women to stay in teaching. It concludes that whilst the option of part-time work may be a supportive measure for some, for others it is an invitation to ‘work full-time effort for part-time reward’, both financially and emotionally. By considering individual demands and resources, part-time working models could be the ‘cure’ for some teacher-mothers; not quite a panacea, but certainly a useful tool in retaining some teacher mothers.

How to remain in working life with hearing loss - health factors for a sustainable work situation.

Persons with hearing loss (HL) are a vulnerable group in working life. Studies have shown that they are more likely than the general population to be in part-time work, to be unemployed, receive disability pension, and to be on sick leave. Many workers with HL also experience unhealthy work conditions, such as jobs where they experience high demands combined with low control as well as safety concerns and social isolation. There is a lack of studies that focus on factors that promote a healthy, sustainable work situation for the target group. To investigate health factors that contribute to a sustainable work situation for employees with HL. The current study was a comparative, observational study with a cross-sectional design including a clinical population of adults with HL. Comparisons were made between workers with HL "in work" and workers with HL on "HL-related sick leave". Seven health factors were identified. Those "in work" experienced a healthier work environment as well as lower levels of mental strain, hearing-related work characteristics and content, cognitively demanding work content, hearing-related symptoms, energy-demanding activities, and bodily aches and pain than those on "HL-related sick leave". The results demonstrate a clear pattern regarding health factors for a sustainable working life. The type of job was not related to whether an individual was on sick leave or working. Rather, the work climate and the content of the work mattered.

Addressing the Economic Impacts of COVID-19: A Gender-Based Training Needs Assessment and Intervention in Barangay Acmac, Iligan City

This study aims to evaluate the gender-based training needs of men and women impacted by COVID-19 in Barangay Acmac, Iligan City. Using Participatory Needs Assessment (PNA), the research allowed 30 men and 30 women to identify their economic challenges and propose solutions. Key findings include: before the pandemic, 78% of respondents were employed full-time, with 80% of men and 76% of women in such roles. Post-pandemic, many transitioned to part-time work, with 43% now working part-time (30% of men and 56% of women). Prior to COVID-19, 73% relied on formal paid work as their main income source. Post-pandemic, income sources diversified, with some retaining formal work (19% of men and 30% of women) and others turning to trading (9%), service businesses (8%), and technical work (6%). A substantial 96% of respondents (29 men and 29 women) reported changes in income sources since March 2020. In addition, men preferred welding training, while women prioritized cookery training. Additional male interests included masonry, automotive servicing, driving, and electrical work, while women showed interest in Food and Beverage Services NC II certification. The study highlights the need for targeted livelihood training to address the economic challenges caused by COVID-19.

Hubungan Antara Beban Kerja dan Coping Stress pada Mahasiswa yang Bekerja Secara Part Time

Studying and working are familiar things to encounter nowadays, if you look at the many universities in Indonesia, both public and private, that provide special classes for employees. This phenomenon as a trend chosen by female students is currently motivated by various reasons, for example the problem of financing education or daily needs, to fill free time, or as an option for wanting to live independently so that they are not dependent on their parents for their lives and at the same time being able to lighten the family's burden. Interestingly, among students, most of them are interested in part-time work on the grounds that it is more flexible compared to full-time work, so that students can adjust work schedules and study schedules. Of course, studying and working is not easy because students spend a lot of time studying or just doing assignments from lecturers. The impact of this on students can disrupt learning activities, and judging from the possibility that many students are negligent in carrying out their assignments and it is feared that these students' preoccupation with work will override lectures and their studies will be neglected or even drop out. In carrying out study activities while working, stress coping is needed to handle the workload received, because there is pressure from workload and stress when studying while working. The aim of this research is to look at the relationship between workload and stress coping in students who work part time. This research uses quantitative methods with a correlational approach. There were 96 respondent data collected for processing. Data collection using workload and stress coping scales via Google Forms. The results of the analysis show results (0.008  0.05), meaning that there is a relationship between workload and stress coping in students who work part time. That the higher the perceived workload, the more stress coping behavior will be carried out.

What does flexible work for men really mean?: a qualitative content analysis of key stakeholder accounts

ABSTRACT This article explores definitions and practice of flexible work and is part of a larger project about men’s flexible work. Flexible work is prevalent in workplace research, but evidence is lacking regarding how flexible work for men is interpreted and applied in practice. Gendered patterns of work and care more often position men in paid employment and less often in care and domestic responsibilities. Men’s use of flexible work could assist in balancing paid employment with unpaid domestic and care tasks. Qualitative content analysis (QCA) was undertaken to summarise participants’ descriptions of two key aspects of flexible work – forms of flexible work, and the reasons for flexible work. QCA was applied to 30 interviews about men’s flexible work with organisational leaders (n = 12, 3 women and 9 men) and men who use flexible work arrangements (n = 18). Participants typically discussed flexible work in their white-collar employment situations, most often in the form of part-time work and for the reason of caring for children. Participants’ descriptions of flexible work differed from how flexible work is commonly defined in policy and legislation, demonstrating that men use flexible work in ways not described in policy or legislation.

Investigation of Career Decision Regrets Among Students in the Faculty of Sport Sciences: A Case Study of Bartın University

Education at the university level shapes one‘s professional career. A career in sports is more complex than in other professional fields. At times, individuals may experience career regret when faced with challenging situations, which can lead to negative emotions such as depression and loss of self-confidence. Therefore, this paper focuses on investigating the career decision regrets of students in the Faculty of Sports Sciences. The most common technique in descriptive research models, the survey method, was employed in the study. The study group consisted of 400 students from four different departments at Bartın University‘s Faculty of Sport Sciences. The researchers developed a personal information form, and the 'Career Decision Regret Scale' was utilized. Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, and one-way ANOVA tests were applied to analyze the data. The results indicated that students in the Department of Sports Sciences at Bartın University experienced career decision regrets (mean = 38.05). The scale scores differed significantly based on students' age, department, year of study, place of birth, academic average, place of residence, part-time work, father's employment status, and educational level.

IMPLEMENTATION OF APPLIED BACHELOR'S DEGREE PROGRAMS IN KAZAKHSTAN: ANALYSIS OF STAKEHOLDERS' PERCEPTIONS

Short-cycle educational programs in Kazakhstan are currently represented by applied bachelor degree programs. This first of its kind study was conducted to analyse the perceptions of applied bachelor programs by students, program graduates and employers inKazakhstan. The results of the survey and interviews revealed a motivation for choosing applied bachelor programs among students of these programs and graduates, as well as the level of satisfaction with their choice. Employers' responses included an assessment of the training provided by the applied bachelor programs and whether programs graduates meet employers expectations. The authors concluded that applied bachelor programs ensure successful integration in the labor market. They provide access to training for socially vulnerable groups (e.g., part-time workers, unemployed people who do not follow traditional educational paths), increasing access to education. The practice-oriented nature of applied bachelor's degree programs allows to obtain qualified personnel in a shorter period of time compared to bachelor's degrees, which is beneficial for employers. Nevertheless, there were revealed problems related to the transition from NQF level 5 to level 6 for higher education, as well as insufficient information work of education providers to explain the advantages and features of applied bachelor degree programs. This suggests a need to take measures to further develop and strengthen the applied bachelor's degree in Kazakhstan. In general, it can be said that development prospects of applied bachelor's degree will contribute to the training of qualified personnel for the labor market.

Workers with few hours – who secures their social rights? – The role of social dialogue and collective bargaining

This special issue looks at the contributions of social dialogue and collective bargaining to creating, maintaining or reducing the risks associated with employment contracts of few hours, such as marginal part-time work, temporary agency work and zero-hour contracts. It additionally considers changes in welfare institutions with regard to the protection of these groups of workers. In this paper, we introduce the arguments on why and how working in marginal part-time jobs involves vulnerability, and on the differential roles collective bargaining and social protection may have on these jobs, depending in particular on which status (employees, workers or self-employed) they are associated to.

What sustains feminized part-time work at the gender equality frontier? Evidence from a vignette experiment

Feminized part-time work has been deemed a family policy conundrum yet to be solved by any welfare regime. To identify ways forward, this article examines structural drivers of part-time work decisions through a vignette experiment fielded in the gender-egalitarian context of Norway ( N = 3500). Six theory-grounded factors are tested in this multidimensional, causal framework: partner income level, physical and cognitive household labour burdens, the presence of a part-time culture at the workplace, and consequences of part-time work for career advancement and future pensions. Results show that overall, factors that regulate individuals’ material self-interest (partner income, career and pension consequences) have the largest impact on working-time decisions. Additionally, a priming treatment is given with a split sample concerning the factor of cognitive household labour – the organizational dimension of household work. Results from sub-group analyses show that non-primed respondents prefer significantly higher working hours when their cognitive labour burden is lower. Respondents who received experimental priming, however, portray the opposite behaviour (lower working-hour preference when cognitive labour burden is low). The pattern is driven by women, whereas men are left largely unaffected by both the priming and vignette treatment of cognitive labour. Thus, robust findings imply that gender inequality in material circumstances sustains feminized part-time work patterns. Suggestive evidence further indicates that gender inequality in cognitive labour loads may also contribute to sustaining feminized part-time work.

Factors influencing physical activity and sedentary behaviour in contact centres during the COVID-19 pandemic and their relevance for the future of hybrid working.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way many industries work, including contact centres, with some employees working from home and new on-site restrictions/measures in place representing even greater challenges for employers around staff engagement and wellbeing. This study aimed to understand the interplay of individual, social, environmental and organisational factors influencing physical activity and sedentary behaviour in UK contact centre employees, how the pandemic impacted these factors, and their relevance for the future of hybrid working. Individual interviews (n = 33) were conducted with participants (staff working full and part time, on site and from home) from four UK contact centres. A topic guide based on the ecological model was developed to understand current barriers and facilitators to physical activity and (reducing) sedentary behaviour during and outside of working hours. Thematic analysis was carried out using a codebook and a deductive coding approach to identify themes. Three key insights are provided. First, participants felt they were generally sitting more and moving less since the first UK-wide lockdown. Second, factors which negatively impacted on these behaviours were evident across all levels of the ecological model. These included individual and social barriers (e.g., lack of motivation and preferable physical activity options) as well as environmental and organisational barriers (e.g., poor home office setup, back-to-back virtual meetings). There were a mix of new and existing barriers (exacerbated by the pandemic) and several of these were linked to homeworking. Third, organisational support requirements (e.g., homeworking ergonomic support) and existing facilitators (such as the provision of informational support and flexible working arrangements) were identified. Solutions to reduce sedentary behaviours and increase physical activity in contact centres need to address barriers from the individual to the organisational level. Whilst the study was undertaken in the UK, the results are like to be applicable globally. Clinical trial registration: The trial for the wider project has been registered on the ISRCTN database: http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN11580369.

Permanently marginalized? Securing living hours among part-time workers in hotels and restaurants in Northern Europe

This paper offers a comparative perspective on the wage and working conditions of marginal part-time workers (less than 15 hours per week) in the Danish, Irish and Norwegian hotel and restaurant sector. Each of the three countries belongs to distinct industrial relations models with different sectoral traditions of multi-employer bargaining, political intervention and union strength. We focus on social partner initiatives, over time, covering trade unions, employers and national governments’ unilateral, bipartite or tripartite measures to secure ‘living hours’ for workers with contracts of few hours. Analytically, we seek inspiration from the work on industrial relations regimes by Visser (2009) and combine it with the concept of living hours. We find that social partners have introduced a series of initiatives to secure living hours, notably to protect and increase hourly wages and secure guaranteed weekly working hours. However, while securing minimum wages and income through either bipartite, tripartite or unilateral measures seem relatively successful in all three countries, the attempts to guarantee minimum weekly working hours and thus secure living hours prove more difficult and mainly has had an impact in Denmark.

Shared Jobs, Shared Trajectories? Employer Groups and the Regulation of Part-time Work in Germany and the Netherlands

ABSTRACT To explain cross-national variation in the regulation of atypical forms of employment, including measures aimed at protecting the employment conditions of nonstandard workers, existing studies have typically emphasised the importance of labour's relative power resources and insider-outsider dynamics. This article shows that differences in employer stances can also be of key importance in explaining this type of variation. Moreover, it shows that employer support for regulatory efforts to improve quality of atypical employment neither have to result from a perceived need to seek strategic accommodation nor from a positive assessment of the costs and benefits of regulation. It does so by comparing the very different responses of Dutch and German employer groups to regulatory attempts to improve the quality of part-time employment. It illustrates their importance and attributes them to strategic choices that were a logical outcome of the different institutional environments in which Dutch and German employer groups operated.

Technology and Continuous Glucose Monitoring Access, Literacy, and Use Among Patients at the Diabetes Center of an Inner-City Safety-Net Hospital: Mixed Methods Study.

Despite the existence of an increasing array of digital technologies and tools for diabetes management, there are disparities in access to and uptake and use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices, particularly for those most at risk of poor diabetes outcomes. This study aims to assess communication technology and CGM access, literacy, and use among patients receiving treatment for diabetes at an inner-city safety-net hospital. A survey on digital technology ownership and use was self-administered by 75 adults with type 1 and type 2 diabetes at the diabetes clinic of Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. In-depth interviews were conducted with 16% (12/75) of these patient participants and 6 health care providers (HCPs) to obtain additional insights into the use of communication technology and CGM to support diabetes self-management. Most participants were African American (66/75, 88%), over half (39/75, 52%) were unemployed or working part time, and 29% (22/75) had no health insurance coverage, while 61% (46/75) had federal coverage. Smartphone ownership and use were near universal; texting and email use were common (63/75, 84% in both cases). Ownership and use of tablets and computers and use and daily use of various forms of media were more prevalent among younger participants and those with type 1 diabetes, who also rated them as easier to use. Technology use specifically for diabetes and health management was low. Participants were supportive of a potential smartphone app for diabetes management, with a high interest in such an app helping them track blood sugar levels and communicate with their care teams. Younger participants showed higher levels of interest, perceived value, and self-efficacy for using an app with these capabilities. History of CGM use was reported by 56% (42/75) of the participants, although half (20/42, 48%) had discontinued use, above all due to the cost of the device and issues with its adhesive. Nonuse was primarily due to not being offered CGM by their HCP. Reasons given for continued use included convenience, improved blood glucose control, and better tracking of blood glucose. The in-depth interviews (n=18) revealed high levels of satisfaction with CGM by users and supported the survey findings regarding reasons for continued use. They also highlighted the value of CGM data to enhance communication between patients and HCPs. Smartphone ownership was near universal among patients receiving care at an inner-city hospital. Alongside the need to address barriers to CGM access and continued use, there is an opportunity to leverage increased access to communication technology in combination with CGM to improve diabetes outcomes among underresourced populations.

The roles of employment status and income in the mental health of informal caregivers in Germany

BackgroundInformal caregivers often experience multiple negative consequences as a result of the informal care they provide. Among other factors, employment status, financial resources, and mental health are related to informal caregiving. This analysis examined the association between informal caregivers’ employment status and their mental health, as well as the moderating effect of net household income on this relationship.MethodsThe research question was addressed with data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) survey, comprising 3,053 informal caregivers (1,007 male; 2,046 female). Data were obtained through self-reports, and mental health was measured with the Summary Scale Mental Score. Stepwise adjusted multiple linear regression models were used to examine the association between employment status and mental health. The moderating effects were tested with interaction terms. All analyses were also stratified for gender.ResultsInformal caregivers with full-time jobs reported better mental health than unemployed or marginally employed caregivers (β = 0.077, p < 0.001). The significant interaction term for full-time (β=-0.066, p = 0.001) and part-time workers (β=-0.066, p = 0.003) indicated a moderating effect of net household income on the association between employment status and mental health. This finding was especially evident in women.ConclusionsEmployment appears to be a relevant protective factor for informal caregivers’ mental health. However, if informal caregivers are not employed, a low net household income might additionally restrict their mental health. Therefore, welfare policy structures must be created to reduce the negative financial consequences for informal caregivers and enable them to achieve work-life-care balance.

‘It really freed me up … to work’: Australian mothers’ experiences of living with fathers who work part-time

ABSTRACT The literature about mothers and engaged fatherhood is expanding; however, current research focuses on breadwinner mothers living with stay-at-home fathers. Knowledge about the experiences of mothers who live with part-time working fathers is scarce. The current study focuses on Australian breadwinner mothers' experiences within such a family arrangement. Interviews with 15 mothers were analysed with Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Two themes emerged: (1) a recurrent contrast by mothers of their experiences at work and at home (the arrangement was described as contributing to their career, but as disrupting traditional mothering) and (2) a repeated comparison by mothers between themselves and their partners in relation to work and parenting (career was suggested as more important for participants, and fathers were suggested as being better suited for child-rearing). Both themes commonly and positively presented the family arrangement as well balanced. In their talk, participants balanced the family arrangement's flaws with its benefits. Furthermore, participants' positioning suggested an identification to an in-group which aligned to traditional motherhood while deviating from traditional feminine norms. As societal norms shift towards greater gender equality, this study helps increase awareness of the variety of contemporary mothering practices, by reporting experiences of mothers who adopt non-traditional mothering practices.

Некоторые проблемы правового регулирования рабочего времени и времени отдыха совместителей

The legal regulation of working time and rest time for part-time workers in practice raises many questions. On the one hand, the legislation establishes clear restrictions on working hours, on the other hand, part-time work with several employers is allowed, the limits of which are not regulated in any way. In addition, part-time work is allowed during the main job, that is, it is allowed to perform two jobs during working hours. This raises the question of the availability of part-time work for the main job. It is necessary to legislatively regulate such situations so that the rest time of part-time workers, the right to which is established by the Constitution of the Russian Federation, is provided to them in full. In addition, some terminological issues should be resolved by legally establishing the concept of “highly qualified specialist”.

Retirement consumption puzzle in Japan: Insights from pension and senior worker employment policy changes

Previous studies in Japan have examined the retirement consumption puzzle (RCP) when mandatory retirement was prevalent. However, the retirement landscape has significantly evolved due to rising public pension ages and enhanced policies promoting employment among senior workers. This study explores household consumption behavior as a result of these recent shifts, particularly focusing on the increasingly common practice of partial retirement. We investigate household consumption during retirement, considering partial retirement enabled by policies allowing continued part-time work or self-employment beyond the mandatory retirement age, and address endogeneity issues between retirement and consumption. Our findings reveal that non-durable and food expenditures increase during partial retirement, driven by liquidity effects from substantial retirement lump-sum payments. These results challenge the traditional understanding of consumption patterns in an aging society, highlighting the impact of changes in work environments.

Part-Time Paradox: The Rise of Female Part-Time Employment and Its Impacts on Germany's Labor Market

Despite an employment rate of 76.6% for women in Germany, significant issues persist with regard to the labour market situation of women in the country. These include the prevalence of part-time work, the under-representation of women in senior management positions and the existence of pay gaps. This article employs data from the German Statistical Office spanning the period from 2000 to 2022 to examine the growth in part-time employment among women and its ramifications. The paper demonstrates that part-time work is a prevalent phenomenon in female-dominated sectors such as health and education. This is driven by a combination of economic conditions, the necessity to reconcile work and family life, and legal regulations. This situation consequently results in women facing lower remuneration and constrained career prospects. The necessity to balance work and family responsibilities represents a significant challenge for women, impeding their career development and negatively impacting their job performance and workplace commitment. These dynamics serve to perpetuate gender inequalities in the labour market, thereby preventing women from realising their full potential at work. This article makes a significant contribution to the existing literature on the relationship between part-time work and gender inequalities in the German labour market by providing a detailed analysis of this complex relationship. The article offers valuable insights into the potential of legal regulations, such as the Temporary Part-Time Work Act enacted in 2019, to alleviate the adverse effects of part-time work on women. The research is distinctive in its comprehensive examination of the socio-economic dynamics of part-time work, its legal framework, and its impact on gender equality, based on an extensive data analysis conducted over an extended period. By offering a detailed and nuanced understanding of these issues, the study draws attention to the ongoing challenges women face in the labour market and suggests potential policy interventions to promote gender equality. This article emphasises the necessity for targeted measures to facilitate women's career progression and offset the adverse consequences of part-time employment, thereby contributing to a more equitable labour market.