Part-time workers hit highest level since the early days of the pandemic

The number of people working part-time or in temporary positions climbed past 9.8 million at the end of April — the highest figure since June 2020. The number of people working part-time now also exceeds eight million — a figure last seen in August 2020.

The overwhelming majority of those working part-time are doing so because they prefer it to working full-time. The most recent ONS Labour Force Survey revealed that 70 per cent of part-timers do not want a full-time job.

A further 14 per cent of part-timers are students who fit work around their studies. While 11 per cent say they can’t find a full-time job and 4 per cent do part-time jobs because they are ill or disabled.

The popularity of part-time work is making it harder for employers to fill full-time roles and comes as the number of vacancies across the UK sits at a record high of 1.3 million.

Novo Constare, co-founder of Indeed Flex, said: “The post-pandemic evolution of the jobs market continues, with the high popularity of part-time and temporary work piling extra pressure on employers who were already struggling to fill thousands of full-time or permanent roles.

“Perhaps most striking of all is that for a significant majority of part-time workers, it’s a lifestyle choice. Seven out of 10 part-timers do so because they want to, not because they are unable to find a full-time job.

“On the jobs front-line we’re also seeing a surge in interest in temporary roles, with an increasing number of workers drawn to the flexibility that temping offers, and the freedom to fit work around their lifestyle, rather than the other way around.

“Meanwhile as the cost of living crisis bites deeper, temping is increasingly appealing to those who already have a job but want to top up their income by taking on extra shifts elsewhere.

“At the same time, temporary workers are proving a lifeline for the many businesses unable to find enough staff to fill their vacant roles. For them, temps offer an efficient way to cover staff absences and fill shifts at short notice.”