Surprising reasons more Victorians are rejecting full-time work

The number of Victorians turning their backs on full-time work is soaring, with some cutting hours to prioritise work-life balance while others take on multiple jobs to make ends meet.

Victorians are increasingly turning their backs on full-time work.

Victorians are increasingly turning their backs on full-time work, with some cutting hours to prioritise work-life balance and others taking on multiple jobs to make ends meet.

Just under a third (32 per cent) of Victorians now work part-time – jumping by more than 13 per cent since 2006, new research from software company Reckon reveals.

The surge has also been driven by men, with one-fifth (21 per cent) of part-time workers being male – a 32 per cent increase since 2006.

Regional local government area Mount Alexander is home to the highest number of part-time workers in Victoria, with nearly half (43 per cent) of employees working part-time.

Queenscliffe and Bass Coast fell closely behind with 42 per cent and 40 per cent respectively.

Despite ranking 10th overall in Victoria, the Mornington Peninsula ranks first in Melbourne with 36 per cent.

Closely behind in Melbourne was Whitehorse, including suburbs Burwood, Blackburn, Surrey Hills and Mont Albert, and Nillumbik, including suburbs Doreen, Eltham, Greensborough and Hurstbridge, with 34 per cent.

Bayside and Boroondara also placed in the top ten with 33 per cent, comprising of wealthy suburbs including Brighton, Camberwell, Canterbury and Kew.

Head of people and culture at Reckon Jess Morris said the coast is usually a part-time hotspot in Victoria and beyond.

“(Mount Alexander) is home to an ageing population who typically favour part-time work, so it makes sense to see this trend there,” she said.

“Coastal areas have a slow pace of life and are often home to industries popular with part-time workers, such as hospitality, retail, and aged care.”

She said Melbourne’s percentage of part-time workers is relatively low compared to suburban and regional Victoria, likely due to the higher cost of living in the city.

Ms Morris said some Victorians are choosing to work part-time “by choice, and some by circumstance”.

“More people prioritise flexibility and a good work-life balance these days, so they’re choosing part-time work to spend more time with family or focus on other responsibilities outside of work,” she said.

“Some take on part-time jobs to help with the cost of living. This could be students trying to cover their expenses while they study or retirees getting back into work to help top up their super.

“Victoria has an ageing population so this could be another factor driving the increase locally … older people tend to favour part-time positions as they reach retirement age.”

Ms Morris said older people tend to favour part-time positions as they reach retirement age.

Similarly, the increase in part-time work among men can be attributed to wanting to spend more time with family, or the cost of living forcing more males to take on a second job, Ms Morris said.

“It has become more difficult for men to find full-time positions in today’s economy, prompting individuals to seek multiple part-time positions to address their financial needs,” she said.

“The Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows that the number of men holding more than one job has increased by over 30 per cent in the past five years.”

The age group with the highest proportion of people working part-time is those aged 65 and older (48 per cent) – a steady increase of five per cent since 2006.

But the largest increase of all age groups was those aged 25 to 24, increasing by 23 per cent since 2006.

“Gen Z and Millennials have started rejecting work norms, especially post-pandemic, leading to the rise of side hustle and entrepreneurship culture,” Ms Morris said.

“Due to the cost of living crisis, it is also unlikely that the generation can do without a supplementary part-time income.

“Many young people have started taking multiple jobs, too. We saw a 121 per cent increase in those aged 25 to 34 holding multiple jobs since 2006.

“One of the big reasons behind this is that young people find it more difficult to find full-time work, so they have to take on multiple part-time jobs instead.”