Jenny was recently interviewed on Sky News on the topic, here’s a video transcription of the interview or you can watch the clip here

Welcome back.  An increasing number of high earners are now working part-time with more than seven hundred and seventy thousand senior staff working fewer than five days a week.  The number of part-time staff on salaries over forty thousand pounds (£40,000) has increased by nearly six percent in the last year as well. Well to talk more about this here is Jenny Garrett, she’s an Executive Career Coach and a Working Mum as well.

JOURNALIST: So, I suppose the first question is why the rise in part-time work?

JENNY:  Well, I think it’s a brilliant thing. I mean the reason it’s happened I think that actually people in senior roles are probably going part-time. I don’t think they are necessarily being recruited directly into those roles, although it can happen and I think if you’ve got really good credibility and really great track record, people then are willing to take a chance on you being part-time in your role.

JOURNALIST:  So do you think it’s the luxury that’s available to those who are comfortable enough financially to be able to cut down to part-time, but also the rise might be people who can’t get a full time job at the lower end of the job market. Do you think there is anything in that?

JENNY:   I don’t, I think that the people at the top, it is a luxury. You know, I’m already, you know, I’ve made it, you want me, you can take me part-time because I want that balance for whatever reason.  I think at the lower end actually often if I think about women who are ones I mostly work with, I think that after having a baby we might, we often have to take a step back.  Now remember, it’s quite a long time, fifteen years now since I had my daughter, but I asked to go part-time and I was told no.  And when I went to get part-time roles they were you know, less senior, less financially, yeah, lucrative as well.

JOURNALIST:  You think that’s changed in fifteen years?

JENNY:  I don’t think people say no as often.  What I hear from women is that they go, they go part-time and they feel a bit exploited because they might be asked to do three days  a week but still do five days’ work or they are sidelined actually.  Oh, you’re part-time, you’re not so committed, you’re a mum, so therefore you’re not so interested in work and they get pushed out, you know passed over for promotion and that sort of thing.

JOURNALIST:Do you think companies then are much more willing, both men and women talking about that, the higher end, you know, the career achieving higher end.  They are now more willing to give them those part-time jobs, to take them down, and why are they more willing to do it, because surely they have to then hire another person and it cost them more overall?

JENNY: Yes! I’m not sure they are more willing. I mean six percent isn’t a huge rise and it was a very small amount in the first place.  So I don’t think this is radical change. I think what happens is that people are better at asking and more courageous at asking and more confident at those levels, you know when you, I think it’s over forty thousand is the figure that we’re talking about executives.  I think when you get to that position, you’re kind of a bit more confident in yourself and willing to say, “I’ve gone through this interview period and you want me, well actually you may want me, I’d like three days or I’d like four days and you’ll get a better me because of that.

JOURNALIST:And is there something that we should all get a bit more used to maybe working part-time. Is it the future of work with regards to information coming in? Is that going to be the way we work, really? Four days a week maybe?

JENNY: I think it’s about portfolio working! You know, on that fifth day, maybe you’re doing your, you know, starting your own business  Maybe you’ve got an app or some technology or maybe you want to give back to your community and do something with your church or young people.  I think we want a portfolio. I think it’s not all about nine to five work and giving everything to an organisation because actually that loyalty doesn’t pay off so much nowadays.

JOURNALIST:  And do you think the flexibility that you get, is part-time work better than going freelance? What are the advantages in terms of flexibility?  You, you work for yourself.

JENNY:  Yes!

JOURNALIST: How flexible are you when compared to someone who is a part-timer?

JENNY: Well, I’m very flexible!  I’m my own boss so I decide and I find it very helpful, you know, when I wanted to take time off for different things to be able to actually just not have to ask anyone, but I think that’s the security that comes with part-time and being, you know if someone says I need you two days a week every week, you know that salary is coming in and people, some people really need that security so it can be great.

JOURNALIST:Jenny, thanks very much for coming in to speak to us. Thank you.

JENNY: Thank you!