Part-time work in private service sectors

Other Publications, Reports 33 Merja Kauhanen

Abstract

In Finland, part-time work is more common than average in retail trade, accommodation and food services, and real estate services. For the majority of part-time workers, the reason for working part-time is the lack of full-time employment.

In retail trade, more than half of part-time employees work in the evenings and on Saturdays and Sundays, while in accommodation and food services the share is nearly half. Non-standard working hours are more common among part-time than full-time employees, and some also report that their working hours are poorly compatible with work–life balance.

On average, part-time employees earned 62.2–68 percent of the monthly earnings of full-time employees in the same sector, and more than half reported difficulties in making ends meet with their wages. Larger workplace size, a higher proportion of women in the workforce, variation in workload on a daily and weekly basis, and weekend work increase both the probability and intensity of part-time employment. (AI translation)