Average weekly hours worked

IBISWorld forecasts the average weekly hours worked in Australia to fall by 0.3% in 2024-25, to an average of 31.2 hours a week per employed person. Negative business confidence and lingering inflationary pressures have seen many employers restrict hours paid to casual staff. Some businesses have also encouraged some full-time workers to go to part time to save on operating costs. Even so, the number of businesses across Australia has grown over the past few years, expanding the total number of employment opportunities.

The average number of weekly hours worked has trended downwards since the 1990's. An increasing number of women entering the labour force has contributed to the long-term reduction in average weekly hours worked, as women are typically more likely to work part-time to take on child and elder care commitments alongside employment. Over the past five years, the growing casualisation of the workforce has further contributed to a drop in the average number of weekly hours worked per employed person.

The rise of the gig economy, which is characterised by uncertain work hours for employed persons, has further encouraged an overall reduction in average weekly hours worked over the past five years. Furthermore, a high proportion of part-time employees in the labour force has constrained average weekly hours worked. Overall, IBISWorld forecasts the average weekly hours worked in Australia to fall at a compound annual rate of 0.3% over the five years through 2024-25.