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Call us on 0800 222 733Types of work arrangement and hours
In today’s workplace, there are a variety of different working arrangements. Find out about the different ways of working, and how more flexible working arrangements make it easier for you to find the right fit between the demands of your career and your lifestyle.
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Full time
- Full-time usually means you work 40 hours a week, but may mean 30 hours or more a week.
- Start and finish times may vary depending on what suits you and your employer. For example, a parent might start early and work shorter hours so they can finish in time to pick up their children from school.
- Full-time employees sometimes work shifts, and may work outside of standard business hours. These shifts may be set hours, or change from week to week.
Part time
- Part-time hours mean a person works a set amount of hours each week, which can range from just a few hours up to about 30 hours. For example, a student might work every Saturday for eight hours to help with study costs.
- Part-time work gives you a steady income, but also allows you time to do other things.
- It's a good option if you have children or other family members to look after, want to study, or have another job that you love, but that gives you only irregular work.
Casual work
- Casual workers are usually hired for one-off business needs or ongoing, irregular work. For example, a retail store may need extra help over the Christmas period and hire some casual staff for the month of December.
- Casual work can lead to permanent work and is a good way to meet people in the industries you’re interested in working in.
Seasonal work
- Fruit picking is one example of seasonal work
- Seasonal work can only be carried out at certain times of the year.
- It's important to some of New Zealand’s biggest industries: forestry, agriculture and horticulture.
- Seasonal workers perform jobs that can only be carried out at certain times of year. They may also move around the country following the seasonal work opportunities as they arise throughout the year.
- Seasonal Work NZ website - search for seasonal work opportunities by region
- PickNZ website - Job listings of seasonal fruit-picking jobs by region
Contract work
- Contractors are similar to casual staff, but are usually contracted to do a particular piece of work. They will often bring specialist skills that an organisation needs for specific projects.
- For example, a business may contract in a management consultant to help with restructuring.
- Contractors can be self-employed, or can work through an agency or business.
- Contractors will often be employed for only a fixed amount of time.
Self-employment
- Self-employment is very common in New Zealand, in a wide range of industries and occupations. You can find self-employed people working as courier drivers, plumbers or accountants.
- The nature of self-employment also varies. You may work on contract to different people to complete work, or you may have your own business, and employ other staff.
- Entrepreneurship - read about turning a bright idea into a successful business
Working from home
- With the improvement in telecommunications, many employers offer staff the opportunity to work off-site, usually from home, for some or all of their work week.
- Staff are able to keep in regular contact with their boss and other staff through email, as well as Internet calling services. They may also visit the office on a regular basis.
- Working remotely can be a good option for people who want to live away from cities, but do not want a long commute. It also allows you more flexibility with your hours, though you need to discuss the details with your employer.
"At home, you can be quite focused around the tasks that you need to do when you don’t have the typical office distractions. You’ve also got the flexibility to change the way that you work. You can do things at different times - whether it’s early in the morning or late at night. And you can do personal things in the middle of that."
Maui Hudson, Māori development, Institute of Environmental Science Research
Portfolio work
- Portfolio work means working for different employers in two or more part-time roles. This can include freelance or contract work and self-employment. Together, these jobs add up to full-time work.
- The work you do could be in quite different fields.
- You need to be motivated to do portfolio work, as you will need to be constantly on the look-out for jobs that you can pick up.