The pros and pitfalls of working part time

The world of work is changing and becoming more flexible. We look at the pros and pitfalls of part-time employment

FEWER working hours and more free time? What’s not to like? It seems to be working in the Netherlands, where more than half of those who are employed work part-time – an average of between 12 and 36 hours a week. That’s a fair bit less than the standard 45-hour South African work week.

The proportion of part-time workers in the Netherlands is much larger than in any other developed country and it seems the Dutch might be onto something – it also consistently ranks as one of the happiest countries in the world.

But do fewer hours just mean doing the same amount of work for less pay? We speak to experts to learn more. BY DENNIS CAVERNELIS PART TIME OR FLEXITIME? Part-time employment is different from flexible employment, explains Mark Botha, a lecturer at the School of Business and Finance at the University of the Western Cape.

Flexitime means your employer allows you to work a standard 45-hour work week without you necessarily spending nine hours a day in the office. Part-time work means working fewer than 45 hours a week. FLEXIBLE EMPLOYMENT If your employer agrees to this you could, for example, work a 45-hour week within four days instead of five, or you could work from home with earlier or later starting times. This eases the pressure on workers when it comes to things such as getting kids to and from school.

“In addition, flexible work schedules reduce congestion on the roads during peak travelling periods,” Botha says.

There are no specific laws in South Africa around flexitime and it’s self-regulated by employers, but he believes it’s a good alternative.

“It allows for greater employee wellness, less absenteeism and fatigue and a greater sense of a caring workplace. Employees can achieve a greater worklife balance.” WORKING PART TIME People who prioritise time over money tend to be happier, a study at the University of British Columbia in Canada found.

“Having more free time is likely more important for happiness than having

more money,” lead researcher Ashley Whillans says.

The research suggests embracing the free time you have and making the most of it is the key to contentment.

Conversely, “consistently working overtime has been proven to negatively impact your mental health and wellbeing”.

“People who usually take up part-time positions include mothers returning from maternity leave and people over the age of 65 who still want to be economically active but who don’t want a full workload,” Botha says.

Also, workers who can’t find full-time employment can take up a part-time position to gain workplace exposure to improve their employability, he adds.

Whatever the reason, there’s been a sharp upward trend in global part-time employment patterns since the ’60s. WORKING CONDITIONS South Africa’s labour laws were designed to protect traditional full-time workers but they’ve changed with the introduction of nontraditional employment practices, Botha says.

“Protective measures now exist for part-time employees within set criteria. Interestingly, there’s no distinction between full-time and part-time employees, provided the latter work for at least 24 hours a month.”

All employees should have employment contracts so they’re protected by the minimum standards as set out in the Labour Relations Act and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, Botha says. An employee who works more than 24 hours a month is automatically protected.

A part-time worker’s salary must be fairly calculated on a pro rata basis to full-time employment, which means you should be paid the same rate an hour.

For example, if a full-time worker doing a certain job is paid R10 000 a month for working 180 hours – R55,55 an hour – then a part-time worker in the same job working 30 hours a month should be paid R1 667 a month.

All employees, part-time and full-time, are protected by employment standards and should receive benefits at least on a proportional basis, adds Elmarie Fourie, a law lecturer at the University of Johannesburg.

Part-time employees who work 24 hours or more a month are eligible for annual leave and the same benefits as full-time employees, such as maternity leave, sick leave, union membership and company benefits.

If you’re unsure about your rights as a part-time worker, go to labour.gov.za or your local department of labour office.