The Perils of Part Time - Part 1

By Karen Miles - www.karenmiles.com.au

If you know it’s time to get back to work but you still want the prime role of caring for your bub, then part time is the obvious solution.  Or is it?

It’s time to put to rest the myths of part-time to promote what works and why.

The first thing you need to know is that the one-and-a-half breadwinner - where one partner works full time, the other part time – is fast becoming the norm.

So the good news is you’re not alone in your desire to combine motherhood with paid work, but here’s where it gets ugly.

• Mothers are punished for working part time by companies, managers and colleagues who don’t understand that the workplace is changing – you don’t need to be at an office desk to be productive.

• Part timers are perceived as less committed and less professional compared with their full time workmates.

• You’re perceived to be on ‘a bit of a holiday’ when you’re not at work, when the reality of your mother load couldn’t be further from the truth – the stats show that mothers who work part-time, work longer hours than full-time workers when the job of child care, cleaning and cooking are counted.

• Part timers are meant to feel lucky.  And ‘lucky people’ shouldn’t rock the boat, ask for more, or expect interesting work.  Part timers consistently experience demotions and boredom when they return from maternity leave because they’re put into roles that are beneath their skill level, or criticised for being given work that’s important or enjoyable.  The argument goes … ‘you’re already on a good wicket, suck it up’.

• Employers can place unwitting pressure on part-timers.  You may end up working a five day workload in three, doing odd hours, or expected to be regularly available when you’re not at work, only to be overlooked for promotion and training later on. 

• Your salary takes a hit.  Not only are you paid less for part time work (which most people seem to forget), you can experience salary loss over the long term. 

• Other mothers, friends, and colleagues will judge your work choices, and you’re now a bit of an outsider at mothers group. 

• And then there’s the guilt!

At the end of the day, decisions get made without you, you miss out on informal networking and political plays, and you can end up feeling burnt out and run up a poll for doing neither job – mum and career – very well.

Stay tuned for next week’s article on why it can actually all be worthwhile…

Karen Miles is a speaker, journalist and mother.  Her latest book is ‘The Real Baby Book you need at 3am’.  www.karenmiles.com.au