One in five part-time employees wants to work more

More than one in five part-time employees in Saxony would like to increase their working hours. On average, this involves seven additional hours, according to a study commissioned by the Ministry for Equal Opportunities. The willingness to work more hours is particularly strong among those who currently work fewer hours.

If the framework conditions changed, such as more flexible working hours or more opportunities to work from home, three quarters of part-time employees would even be willing to work more. Among women, who work part-time more often, the proportion is significantly higher (76.2%) than among men (68.8%).

"Many women want to work more, as the study clearly shows. Currently, inadequate framework conditions are preventing them from doing so," said Equal Opportunities Minister Katja Meier (Greens). It is the task of politicians to improve the framework conditions. Meier also pointed out the far-reaching consequences of part-time work, such as lower wages, poorer career opportunities and lower pensions.

Gender-specific differences in reasons for part-time work

According to the study, the majority of part-time employees currently work part-time by choice (53 percent). The reasons for reduced working hours are varied, but there are gender-specific differences. For many women, family obligations such as childcare and care are central. In addition to family reasons, men also more frequently cite health restrictions or further training plans as reasons.

Occupational conditions also play a role: according to the data survey, a quarter of women working part-time and almost a third of mothers are denied an increase in working hours by their employer. One in ten women cite this as the main reason for their part-time employment.

Recommendations for action in nine areas

The representative study was conducted by the consulting firm Prognos AG. A total of 542 part-time employees were surveyed. Based on the results, recommendations for action were developed to create better conditions.

The authors of the study advocate, among other things, abolishing the tax exemption for mini-jobs and reforming the splitting of income between spouses in order to create incentives to increase working hours. It also recommends a family-friendly corporate culture and the fair sharing of care work.