Kiwis learning to work smarter not harder

People are finding ways to spend less time at the office.

The Department of Labour's Household Labour Force Survey showed they were working fewer hours than 10 years ago.

The figures revealed the average working week - for fulltime and part time workers combined - had dropped from 34.8 hours in 2000 to 33.5 hours in June this year.

Marc Burrage, executive general manager of recruitment firm Hudson, said of all the age groups, Generation Y (born in the 1980s and 1990s) could be leading the way.

"Our own research shows the key driver for Generation Y is not necessarily money or career progression but learning and development opportunities," he said.

"If you were chasing a promotion or more money then that would logically be a driver to work longer hours. But if your driver is learning and development then that's more aligned to a better work-life balance and more effective work practices."

The Hudson research mirrors a study across the Tasman which has found Gen-Yers there are working 39.5 hours a week - the lowest number of hours worked by any age group.

The study, by Bankwest, showed Australians in fulltime jobs were also working fewer hours than they did 10 years ago - down from 42.7 to 41.4 hours.

But it said that employees over 65 worked an average of 44 hours a week - the longest of any age group.

Mr Burrage said New Zealanders could have spent even less time at work if there had not been a global economic recession.

This, he said, had led to an expectation that people would work longer.

"It meant pressure to deliver the same productivity levels with fewer people and from an employee's perspective there was also the sort of fear hanging above them so they were prepared to go further in the hours of work simply to retain the roles they had."

Richard Menthal, managing director of Robert Walters, said a trend where people were becoming more work efficient coupled with employers taking a more relaxed approach to timekeeping was emerging.

"I think the amount of work hasn't actually dropped but people are just getting smarter about making themselves more efficient by using things like iPhones or Blackberries.

"Bosses are also saying 'if you can get your work done in the time you're here then I'm happy' so you don't need to work the hours that have been traditional over the past 20 years."

Randstad client solutions manager Jeff McDonald agreed there had been a relaxation about the hours people were expected to be at work.

He said government departments among other employers were now offering flexible working arrangements as part of their recruitment strategies.

"There's enough evidence out there to suggest that employers are recognising productive and happy employees are the ones with a good work-life balance."