Both employers and employees often wonder whether part time work could be the right fit for their careers and businesses. It is understandable that people are sometimes skeptical about part-time work, but this doesn’t mean that it couldn’t provide you with huge benefits.
Part time working means that you will be working less than the standard full time hours (which is typically 35-40 hours per week in the UK) but will still receive the same benefits and entitlements as full time staff. Part time work is a great option to consider for both employers and employees.
What are the benefits of working part time?
It goes without saying that not all roles easily lend themselves to part-time hours. There are plenty of jobs that require full time staff and nothing less, but that shouldn’t put you off searching for decent part time work should you desire this.
Benefits of part time work for employees:
1) Spend your extra time outside of work with family
Some of our team members at Four Recruitment have young children, and working part time means that they have more time to spend at home with their loved ones. This can make you feel more engaged and focused on the days that you do work, as you can balance a healthy home life with children and your desired career.
2) Time to improve skills and expertise
Taking on part time work can leave you room to grow in your career. On the days that you aren’t working, you could take up a new class to improve your skills, attend workshops or sign up for additional training. No matter what industry you work in, or want to work in, you can use your spare time to grow and improve as a candidate.
3) Lowered stress and anxiety levels
There have been many studies to show how working part time can reduce stress levels amongst staff members. This doesn’t mean that full time work is inherently stressful, but part time allows those individuals with differing needs to spend time in other necessary areas of their lives. If you have other responsibilities, part-time work can offer you much needed flexibility.
Benefits of part time work for employers:
1) Attract a diverse workforce
For businesses, offering part time work can attract a far more diverse workforce, as you aren’t narrowing down potential candidates based on their full time working hours. This can benefit those looking for part time work too, as if a company already sees the value of employing part time contracts, you are more likely to secure a job.
2) Business is supported easily during busy periods
Part time workers can help to support a business by responding to peaks and troughs in demand. During the holiday season, a business can utilize part time workers and increase hours where necessary without keeping them on as full time staff after the holiday rush.
3) Improve staff retention
Offering part time work can improve staff retention in a workplace. Knowing that a business values family-friendly working practices is vital to a lot of candidates.
Part time work of course isn’t without its challenges, and you definitely need to work hard and smart, but it is absolutely possible to make a success of a role working on a less than full-time basis. If part time work sounds desirable to you, get in touch with the team at Four Recruitment today to discuss your options.
