Economic benefits of working school hours
The traditional 9-5 is increasingly seen as “archaic,” and working school hours offers numerous family life benefits, but what are the economic advantages of a 30-hour week over a 40-hour one?
Brad Olsen (pictured above), Infometrics chief executive and principal economist, sees significant merit in employers offering school hours working times.
“Although I also think this fits more broadly into an increasingly more flexible work schedule that is occurring across the country,” he said in a Stuff report.
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Retaining talent
Ellen Ford, creator of the #workschoolhours movement, emphasised the value of flexibility.
“There is a huge amount of parents who would absolutely love to work in an organisation that provides a school hours framework and they would add immense value to the organization,” Ford said.
She believes that offering school hours can help businesses attract and retain great talent by tapping into an underutilised workforce.
Boosting productivity
Ford’s research showed that parents on part-time contracts, up to 30 hours a week, deliver the same output as their full-time colleagues.
“People on part-time contracts are typically the most productive in the workforce. They just get their stuff done in a shorter amount of time,” she said.
Kiwibank economist Sabrina Delgado agreed, noting that flexible working allows for greater participation and improved labor market outcomes, especially for working mothers who constitute about 30% of New Zealand’s workforce.
Enhancing employee wellbeing
Improvements in staff wellbeing are another economic benefit.
“When people feel good at work, they’re not as stressed, not as burnt out, have better wellbeing, all of that leads to better performance by them and ultimately better organisational outcomes such as profit,” Ford said.
The guilt that working parents and caregivers feel is reduced, leading to better performance and job satisfaction.
Supporting women in the workforce
Flexible working hours can also increase the representation of women in senior leadership positions and reduce the gender pay gap.
Olsen agreed that more flexible work hours support women and primary caregivers in the workforce.
“Increasing participation in the workforce is a positive thing, as it allows people to get jobs and look after themselves and their families better, alongside a range of other benefits,” he said.
Changing workforce dynamics
The number of women in the workforce has risen from 41% of the total workforce in 1986 to 47% in 2024.
“While the male employment rate has actually retreated slightly over time, from 77% in 1986 to 73% in 2024, the female employment rate has increased from around 52% in 1986 to 64% in 2024,” Olsen said.
Flexible work hours can further support this positive trend, making it easier for parents to balance their professional and personal lives.
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