Part-time staff seen as slackers by UK employees

The research, conducted by the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), found that negative perceptions of part-timers were still widespread despite an increase in flexible working and family-friendly hours.

The poll found that flexible working laws have been embraced by most employers, with 69 per cent of firms allowing employees to work varied hours to improve their work-life balance.

Although flexible working, which was introduced nearly a year ago, has been generally viewed as a success and hasn’t impacted negatively on firms’ productivity as initially feared, this survey will raise concerns that the rules have caused resentment in the workplace.

Previous studies have shown that although most employers were happy to grant flexible working to employees, some workers became resentful when their requests were down while colleagues were allowed to work varied hours.

Good relations between employees is particularly important in small firms, where tiny workforces often have to work together in small premises.

Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the PCS, said that the poll shows that people are increasingly being given the option to work flexibly through part-time working such as term time only hours.

“Worryingly though, people who do so are viewed by a sizeable minority of their colleagues as putting less effort in and often lose out on career progression and pay.

“If flexible working is to become a true reality there is still a lot to be done in breaking down negative perceptions to options such as part-time working, as well as making serious headway on parity in pay and progression between full and part-time workers,” he said.