Part-time works: The podcast

Hear how part-time working benefits people’s lives and can be key to unlocking opportunities

Part-time work has the potential to be transformative – not just for helping people to earn and plan for their futures, but also in supporting personal wellbeing and creating more inclusive and sustainable workplaces. That's why in 2024, the Standard Life Centre for the Future of Retirement partnered with the flexible work experts and social enterprise Timewise to launch the Part-time Works podcast series. 

This initiative was founded on the belief that good quality part-time work should be easy to find, easy to understand, and an option for anyone who needs or wants it. Through real stories and open conversations, the podcast explores how flexible work can help people build better, longer working lives.  

Our aim is to:

• Focus on the ‘art of the possible’ by sharing real stories from people working part-time for all sorts of reasons - and challenge perceptions around good part-time work.
• Encourage more people to ask for part-time working, and help managers feel more confident saying yes – whether its for new hires or current team members. 
• Empower more employers and employees in the workplace with practical ‘how to’ guides, drawing on Timewise’s expertise to make flexible working work for everyone. 
   

Part-time working – the facts

People in the UK are living longer than ever. As our working lives get longer too, the way we live and work, the jobs we do and how and when we do them, need to change.

Research from Timewise – A Question of Time (2023), supported by Phoenix Group, found:

• There are eight million people working part-time in the UK or 1 in every 4 workers.  However, many more would like to work part-time but can’t find the right opportunities. 
• Reduced hours are a key way people can  manage their life and health needs - but there are still big cultural and economic barriers to overcome.
• Nearly half of those surveyed think part-time working can limit career progression, and over a third of workers consider it to be mainly for parents and carers.
• Part-time work is still more common among women. However, that gap is slowly narrowing as more men take it up. 
• Results also highlighted the gender gaps associated with caring responsibilities, and raised concerns about men’s mental health.

Despite 8 million people in the UK working part-time – that’s 1 in 4 workers – only 1 in 56 job ads mention part-time options. This gap creates substantial barriers to entry for people who need flexible hours – especially those with long-term health conditions or caregiving responsibilities. 

Series 2: A New Chapter – Caring, Health & Work

In its latest release, Part-time Works introduces a powerful 3-part special that gets personal. Looking at where part-time work, caregiving responsibilities, and health conditions intersect. These episodes put real-life stories front and centre, spotlighting both the challenges and opportunities that come with juggling work and life in these situations.

Series 1: