Flexi-time lifts satisfaction levels: Survey

Kiwi workers with flexible hours are more likely to be satisfied in both their jobs and work-life balance than those without, according to a recent survey.

The Survey of Working Life 2018, conducted by Stats NZ between October and December last year, revealed those with flexible hours had higher levels of satisfaction (79 per cent) than those who didn’t (71 per cent).

And only 3 per cent of those who had flexible hours reported being dissatisfied with their main job compared with 6.1 per cent of those with no flexi-time.

“Having the ability to start and finish your job at different times is an important aspect of balancing work with life outside it,” said labour market statistics manager Scott Ussher.

Ussher said flexibility at work comes in different forms — including the ability to vary the hours, days, and location of work.

According to the survey, more than half (51 per cent) of employees in New Zealand have flexible work hours, allowing them to start and finish work at different times each day, while one-third have worked from home in their main job.

More men, however, had flexible working hours (54 per cent) than women (49 per cent).

And parents were considerably more likely to have ever worked from home (44 per cent) compared with non-parents (29 per cent).

But those who did work from home were more likely to be dissatisfied (12 per cent) than those who did not (6.9 per cent), the survey showed.