Whilst the number of women in employment is at its highest rate since records began, research by thinkmoney has uncovered that unfortunately, all isn’t as it seems.
After analysing the working patterns of Brits, their research has revealed that women make up two-thirds of all part-time roles. With part-time roles limiting employees progression, financial independence and retirement benefits – it is clear that there’s a part-time gender bias in Britain.
Morever, according to a recent study by the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Brits are working two and a half weeks more, per year, than any other country in Europe.
While the average working week has decreased by 18 minutes over the last decade, at this rate it will take 63 years for British working patterns to match those elsewhere in Europe.
Key Findings
Women have more part-time roles than men – across all UK regions.
- On average, women make up almost two-thirds (65%) of all part-time roles in the UK.
- The ‘part-time gender bias’ is more prevalent in the North-East; women are responsible for almost three-quarters (71%) of all part-time roles
On the other hand, London has the least ‘part-time gender bias’. Women account for 51% of part-time roles (580k) whereas men make up a very close 49% (285k).
Revealed: Women Would Earn £11,009 From Unpaid Housework
- With more women in part-time work, they naturally end up completing more work around the house – such as laundry, cleaning and for some, childcare.
- However, this has led to women taking on 60% of all unpaid housework – each week women spend 26 hours on this, as opposed to men who complete 16 hours.
- If women were to be paid for this housework, they would receive £11,009.
London workers put in the second least paid overtime hours in the country
London has one of the longest working weeks when adding together paid overtime and contractual hours (38.4 hours), but workers in the capital are only reported to work 176.8 hours paid overtime, along with the North East and South West. However, these figures only reflect paid overtime and it’s possible that the unreported, unpaid figures could be much higher.
Employees in South East work the lowest overtime hours
Workers in the South East put in the least paid overtime at only 166.4 hours (24 days). They work 62.4 hours less than Northern Ireland employees, or the equivalent of almost two working weeks.
The TUC estimates five million workers in the UK have put in more than £32 billion unpaid additional hours per year. So, overtime figures could be even higher than reported. Employees in Wales gave an extra £819 million of free labour in 2017.
