Worker's Choice: flexibility is the key

By ACIRRT

International research shows that the following factors are the key issues for workers with family responsibilities.
· total working hours for individual parents and households
· access to part-time work
· availability of flexible working arrangements

Louise Thornthwaite from ACIRRT has been researching these issues. Worker preferences vary with life cycle stages. The diversity of preferences with life cycle still came down to a few major priorities with regard to working arrangements, including:

· various models of hours based around households

· household arrangements

· forms of parental leave

· child care

A Norwegian study in 1998 examined working time preferences of men and women. There was dissatisfaction amongst those working very long and very short hours. A general preference was expressed for shorter hours. A 1995 Australian survey had similar findings. A general feeling that part-time work and/or more flexibility of hours has been expressed in Australia and elsewhere.

(ACIRRT/CPD Workplace Intelligence; August 2002)