Dear GPTW,
I have a mix of part-time and full-time staff; in what ways should I be adapting my management style and/ or practices to best fit their needs?
~ Part-time vs full-time ~
Dear Part-time vs full-time,
How do you engage part-time employees?
Engaging part-time employees can be challenging since part-time work is usually associated with lower paying jobs which offer fewer benefits, a lack of flexible working arrangements and limited opportunity for career advancement.
But when it comes to management practices, our research shows that full- and part-time employees in best workplaces have more things in common than differences. They share the same top drivers of employee engagement: supporting, teamwork, inclusiveness, and sharing-rewards.
That being said, the two groups also have some differences. For example, celebrating is more important to full-time workers whereas part-time staff place a greater value on a conducive working environment. This is something to reflect on when evaluating your key priorities and practices as a manager.
Top five drivers of engagement – full-time and part-time employees
| FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES | PART-TIME EMPLOYEES | |
| Driver | Ranking | Driver |
| Supporting | 1 | Supporting |
| Teamwork | 2 | Teamwork |
| Inclusiveness | 3 | Inclusiveness |
| Celebrating | 4 | Sharing - Rewards |
| Sharing – Rewards | 5 | Working Environment |
Source: Great Place to Work® Canada 2016
Our research further shows a similar pattern of key drivers for large (>1000 employees) vs. medium (<1,000 employees). One exception is that developing people is a more important driver than sharing-rewards for part-time workers in medium size best workplaces.
For more information on this research or to conduct an analysis within your organization, please contact Great Place to Work® Canada at (866) 712-0630
We welcome you to comment on this article! Please use this public space respectfully and in alignment with our User Conduct Guidelines.
