For many people — those between jobs, retirees who don’t want to be fully retired, or students who’ve recently graduated and aren’t sure what they want to do — part-time/hourly wage jobs are often a good option. After speaking with several acquaintances who are considering part-time employment, I decided to ask some industry experts about the pros and cons of part-time/hourly work.
According to Terrell Strayhorn, Ph.D., president and CEO of Do Good Work Educational Consulting, LLC, part-time work is becoming a more popular option in today’s employment marketplace.
“We have several staff on our team who are either part-time, hourly, remote or all three,” Strayhorn reports. “I think this simply reflects trends we’re seeing in today’s workforce — increasingly people are looking for multiple gigs, entrepreneurial liberties, and the ability to work from home, if not every day, some day(s) per week. Part-time/hourly jobs afford employees that kind of flexibility.”
The potential benefits, he notes, include free time to pursue other projects and passions, or to care for children or aging loved ones.
“Part-time/hourly positions also can provide more opportunity to earn more money than one might in a full-time job,” Strayhorn adds. “For instance, we have a guy on our team who works part-time for us in marketing; he has another remote post with a start-up in Chicago, plus he drives for Uber and Lyft, netting way more per year than he would in any one of these jobs alone. He loves the flexibility, creativity and switching it up when he needs a different challenge.”
Speaker and author Candace Steele Flippin, D.M., a research fellow at Case Western Reserve University who studies the multigenerational workplace and enhancing the leadership development of women, agrees that part-time employment can offer many advantages. They include the ability to earn supplemental income, a flexible schedule and opportunities to get a foot in the door and to “test the waters” while learning a new skill or exploring a new profession, she says.
“But there may also be trade-offs to consider, such as lack of or limited benefits, less desirable schedules and sometimes stigma from full-time workers,” Flippin cautions.
Cons she says to consider: Part-time workers often aren’t eligible for health, bonus and/or vacation benefits; they could be more vulnerable than full-time employees to job cuts; they might lack the seniority or status to be able to select the most desirable work schedules; and they could end up working more hours than originally planned if demands increase.
One resource I recently discovered that can help counter some of those cons is Bluecrew, an on-demand staffing platform for hourly workers.
“Bluecrew offers hourly job seekers both flexible hours — working when and where they choose — as well as W-2 worker protections, which include workers’ compensation, overtime and paid sick leave,” Bluecrew CEO Adam Roston explains. “It’s a nice alternative to both traditional gig work and temporary staffing.”
According to Roston, Bluecrew encompasses a broad spectrum of job seekers and industries.
“Retirees and college students looking for part-time work are certainly included,” he says. “For those looking for part-time work and a flexible schedule, hospitality jobs such as food servers as well as warehouse jobs are great options.” There are also plenty of full-time job opportunities on Bluecrew, he adds.
If you or someone you know is interested in a part-time job, Flippin suggests checking out the list of part-time positions that typically pay well at https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/part-time-jobs-that-pay-well.
(SOURCE: TNS)
(Article written by Kathleen Furore)
