Part-time, full-time and flexible hours

Part-time employees work fewer hours than full-time employees. Full-time employees work the standard full working week for the business. Flexible hours means the total number of hours is agreed, but the times when they are worked can vary.

Part-time working

Part-time working helps a business match staff to busy periods, such as a garden centre taking on two extra assistants for weekend mornings in spring. It also reduces total wage costs because fewer hours are paid. However, recruitment and training costs are spread over fewer hours, so the cost per hour worked is higher, and continuity can suffer if part-time staff are only in for a couple of days each week. Part-time work suits employees with caring responsibilities, study or other commitments, but usually means lower income and fewer chances of promotion. Part-time staff normally receive the same hourly rate as full-time staff; they simply work fewer hours.

Full-time working

Full-time staff give a business continuity and easier scheduling, as they are available throughout the working week. The drawbacks are higher fixed wage costs and less flexibility when demand changes, for example a café that is quiet in January still pays the same wages.

Flexible hours

Flexible hours can help a business match staffing to demand, for example a bakery whose staff all agree to 30 hours a week but start at 5am or 7am on different days. It can also improve motivation and retention, because employees can fit work around personal commitments. Scheduling and coordinating staff is harder, especially when team members need to work together at the same time. Employees gain a better balance with personal commitments, but they may need to be available at less convenient times, which can make arranging childcare harder.