KNOWLEDGE WORK AND TIME USE

1. KNOWLEDGE WORK AND TIME USE • Research project: Knowledge work, time, place and household (2003-05) • Funded by Finnish Academy and Finnish Work Environment Fund • Reseachers: Jouko Nätti, Timo Anttila • University of Jyväskylä, Dept. of Social Sciences and Philosophy, Finland

2. BACKGROUND: Assumptions • Working times in the post-industrial knowledge-based society are departing from the concept of normal working time. • The limits of working time are blurring. • Nature of knowledge work - as captivating in itself, and at least partly detachable from a certain time and place - changes the relations of work to time and place.

3. AIMS • To what extent does the nature of knowledge work change the relations of work to time (working time) and place? • Duration • Timing • Tempo • Autonomy • Place of work

4. DATA • The main data is the Use of Time -study (1999-2000), collected by Statistics Finland. • Interview data • Time diary data • 10,561 days • 5332 individuals, which constitute over 3000 households. • Comparison of interview and diary data • Focus • wage and salary earners • age: 15-64 years old

5. Operationalisation of knowledge work Computer users (31%) Others (35%) Knowledge workers (34%)

6. Knowledge workers • Over half of them (58%) are women • Majority of knowledge workers are upper-level white-collar employees (55%) • In most cases they belong to younger age groups (under 45-year-olds) • They are over-represented in business services and financing, in research and in public administration • They hold more strong and secure labour market positions than the other two groups

7. DURATION OF WORKING TIME • Focus on • time for paid work • exluding travelling time, lunch time • all days / work days • working day: subjective classification (57%) • paid work at least 10 minutes during the day (62%)

8. Daily working time

9. Weekly working time • Estimate of weekly working time • 7 * daily working time (all days) = 33,0 hours • Interview data • normal working hours = 37,4 hours • Comparisons • interview data produces longer working time than diary data (knowledge work, gender) • Distribution • diary data: unreliable? • interview data: < 35 hrs (13%); 41+ hrs (6%)

10. Comparisons of working week

11. (2) TIMING OF WORKING TIME • Interview data: working time arrangement • regular daytime work: • 85% of knowledge workers, 66% of computer users, 63% of others • Diary data: presence at work • daily • weekly

12. Presence at work during the day (%)

13. Presence at work during the week (%)

14. (3) TEMPO: Feelings of hurry

15. Lack of time • 74% of those knowledge workers who felt hurry, also thought that because of lack of time they have to give up of some activities they otherwise would do. • 62% of computer users and 54% of others

16. (4) TIME AUTONOMY AT WORK • Possibilities to define the starting and finishing times of one’s work • 71 of knowledge workers, 51% of computer users and 42% of others • Gender differences

17. (5) PLACES OF WORK • Interview data • Work at least partly at home • 58% of knowledge workers, 27% of computer users, 20% of others • Work at home and uses computer • 41% of knowledge workers, 13% of computer users, 3% of others • Diary data • Paid work at home 17-24 (%)

18. Paid work at home 17-24 (%)

19. MAIN RESULTS • Duration (daily, weekly): no clear differences • Timing • working time arrangement: daytime work • daily presence at work: less variance (core hours) • weekly: work more often on Sunday, less often on Saturday • Tempo: feelings of hurry and lack of time common • Autonomy: highest working time autonomy • Places of work: work at home most common in knowledge work

20. CONCLUSIONS • Goodbye to normal working time? • Continuity: duration, timing • Weak signals: Work at home; intensification • Comparison of interview and diary data • Larger differences in interview data • Further research • Multivariate analysis • Differences within knowledge work • Changes over time