Benefits Of Working Part Time vs Full Time
Part time workers and full time workers have long been embroiled in a competition over who has the most benefits. From holidays to pay, better work life balance to overtime pay, there are varying benefits to both styles of work and you need to consider them all as a business owner so you can offer your employees what they want. You’ll need to weigh up the benefits of working fewer hours vs working more hours for your employees and your business needs to ensure you strike the right balance and keep your employees happy whilst meeting business demand.
Below we’ll explore the benefits of part time work and full time work for employees, as well as their disadvantages to help you decide what’s best for your workforce.
Difference Between Full And Part Time Workers
In the UK, full time workers and part time workers are differentiated by how many hours they work in a week. Full time workers tend to work longer hours, more days a week – usually 35 hours +. Part time workers work fewer hours but can be anywhere from 1-34 hours a week, so there’s quite a large spread when it comes to part time working hours.
Other factors differentiate part time employees from full time workers besides hours worked. For example, part time workers are typically paid hourly and receive their wages weekly or bi-weekly, rather than monthly (although they can be paid monthly in some situations).
What Are The Advantages Of Part Time Employment?
Working fewer hours as a part time worker brings a lot of flexibility for employees, allowing them to spend more time with friends and family outside of work and doing what they love to achieve a better work life balance. That often means your employees are able to give more at work for the shorter amount of time that they’re there. It’s also great for students who want to work whilst studying and older people as they start making retirement plans.
You shouldn’t assume that part time workers only consist of younger and older people however. Part time work can be a viable option for a range of workers so it’s worth considering who might benefit from part time work at your business.
The benefits of part time work for employees is that they’ll be able to provide you with more limited availability to suit their needs, but this is also a benefit for employers too. By knowing your workers availability you’re able to make better business decisions, and if your worker is able to provide you with specific, consistent work patterns, you can conduct better workforce management.
It’s also great for you in terms of the typical part time workers you’ll employ. There are plenty of young people who want to gain experience in the workplace. Whilst their inexperience will mean they need additional training and support, you do benefit from having to pay them less wages as part of this tradeoff whilst giving them the opportunity to gain experience.
What Are The Disadvantages Of Part Time Employment?
Because of the nature of part time jobs, these positions are often not held for a long time. Many people see part time jobs as passing opportunities that may be convenient for a while, but they are often a stepping stone onto bigger and better things. This can be a huge disadvantage for you as a business owner as you may find high staff turnover for your positions which means more time and money spent with recruiting new staff to replace old ones as they leave.
One of the main reasons why people may not hold a part time job for a lengthy period is the fact that most times, you do not receive the same benefits as full time workers. This means no health insurance, limited holidays, and no additional maternity pay beyond statutory. In most cases, if you do not work, you won’t get paid more than statutory sick pay either. And while this may work for some employees for a while, most people look for something a little steadier after a certain point, which is when it starts to impact your business.
The other major disadvantage for employees to part time work is that they will earn less than if they were a full time employee. If one part time job is their only form of income, it’s likely that they’ll find themselves struggling to make ends meet at the end of a month – depending on their monthly commitments of course.
Part time employees are often expected to get the same amount of work done as full time employees, but in less time, and this can lead to high levels of stress for employees. In certain companies, part time employees may not be treated with the same level of respect as full time employees, both by their colleagues and their superiors so it’s important to make a conscious effort to support your workers who are completing part time AND full time hours. Employers should know the potential benefits that part time employees can bring into the workspace, and treat them with the same level of respect as full time employees.
Pros & Cons Of Part Time Work – Summary
| Pros of part time work | Cons of part time work |
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What Are The Advantages Of Full Time Employment?
A stable, full time employment is the dream of many employees. The benefits are endless, but are mostly along the lines of job security and stable income. Employees who work full time for you will likely benefit from additional benefits compared to part time workers such as enhanced parental leave, increased holidays, pension schemes, etc. Sick pay is often better for full time workers too owing to the lack of flexibility their schedules afford them.
For many workers full time work is a necessity to keep up with monthly expenses as their family grows and their lives become busier. Full time workers are also often in the best position when it comes to internal promotions at your business, allowing you to find the best talent and keep them with you for years to come.
Feeling like there is growth at work is a key factor in employee satisfaction so by offering full time workers opportunities to develop new skills, you’ll ensure a happier workforce who are more productive, too.
Full time workers will often have a steady monthly salary, making it easier for employees to plan their lives and budget accordingly, but it also leaves you as a business in a better position as you’re able to reliably plan business outgoings based on consistent salary payments to your staff. Part time worker salaries can often fluctuate with overtime and additional shifts month on month, meaning you have to keep a closer eye on your business outgoings.
What Are The Disadvantages Of Full Time Employment?
A full time job can easily wear on a person, having to be at the same place doing similar tasks for at least 35 hours a week can take its toll, especially when your employee isn’t fulfilling a role that they’re passionate about or interested in. This can be a problem potentially leading to a workforce that isn’t engaged or motivated to complete work to the best of their ability.
Whilst a full time job acts as security for workers, it is also a long term commitment that can lead to feelings of stagnation. Without having the flexibility of part time work, a worker can feel trapped by their job and as though they aren’t being given the opportunity to diversify their skills and grow in their role.
It’s important then that as a business owner you highlight the importance of up-skilling in the workplace to ensure you have an engaged workforce that wants to stay with your business and progress in their career. This is much more cost effective from a purely business perspective too. By ensuring your workforce is trained to higher standards you save on recruitment costs by promoting internally wherever possible.
Typically full time workers have to give a longer notice period if they want to leave their employment. This can lead to feelings of being trapped in their job, especially if they aren’t happy with their role. Full time positions are a blessing to those who enjoy their work, but are a curse to those who feel disillusioned with their employment.
Pros & Cons Of Full Time Work – Summary
| Pros of full time work | Cons of full time work |
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Benefits Of Working Part Time vs Full Time: Final Thoughts
A business often has the need for both part time and full time employees to ensure smooth operations. Different working hours and patterns work better for different people, so it’s important to be flexible in what you offer as an employer. For employees, having the ability to discuss what works for them will be greatly appreciated, helping them feel valued as an employee.
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