Extract from the Social report of the Ministry of Social Development, New ZealandJuly 2003
Proportion of employed persons working long hours Definition: The proportion of employed persons aged 15-64 who usually work 50 or more hours a week in all jobs. Relevance: The proportion of the population working long hours is a proxy indicator that provides information on work/life balance. People working long hours may have less time available for other aspects of their lives, such as leisure or time with family members. Current Level and TrendsIn 2002, 21 percent of employed persons reported they usually worked 50 or more hours a week. The proportion of employed people working long hours increased from 17 percent in 1986 to 21 percent in 1994 and has remained at 21-22 percent since then. Trends in the proportion of people working long hours are influenced by a range of factors, not all of which reflect work/life balance. Some people may prefer to work longer hours or compensate for working longer hours by working for less than a full year. Trends over time in this indicator should therefore be interpreted with care. Figure PW3.1 Sex and Age DifferencesEmployed men are much more likely than employed women to work long hours, but the proportion working long hours has increased for both sexes. In 2002, 30 percent of employed men reported they usually work 50 or more hours a week, an increase from 24 percent in 1986. In comparison, 10 percent of employed women worked for 50 or more hours a week in 2002, up from seven percent in 1986. The increase in working long hours has been most pronounced among older workers, particularly older men. The proportion of employed men aged 45-64 who usually work 50 or more hours a week increased from 25 percent in 1986 to 34 percent in 2002. Employed men in this age group have become the most likely group to work long hours, displacing men aged 25-44 years. Information from the 1999 time use survey shows that the total time spent on work (paid and unpaid) by men and women is similar, with women spending more time on unpaid work than men33. Table PW3.1 Proportion (%) of employed persons who usually work 50+ hours per week, by age and sex, selected years, 1986-2002
Ethnic DifferencesThe tendency to work long hours has varied by ethnic group over the past decade. In 1992, employed Asian men had the highest proportion working long hours (29 percent). However, by 2002, European, Other ethnic group, and Maori men were all more likely, on average, to work long hours than Asian men. Pacific people were the least likely to work 50 or more hours per week. Table PW3.2 Proportion (%) of employed persons who usually work 50+ hours per week, by ethnic group and sex, selected years, 1992-2002
Regional VariationsThere is a marked regional variation in the proportion of employed people working long hours. Employed people in Southland, a predominantly farming region, had the highest proportion working 50 or more hours per week (28 percent), followed by Waikato (26 percent) and Northland (25 percent). The four urban regions of Auckland (20 percent), Otago and Canterbury (both 19 percent) and Wellington (17 percent) had lower than average proportions of employed people working long hours.
For the full report see http://socialreport.msd.govt.nz/2003/index.shtml | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Household Labour Force Survey
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