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Young people’s friendships in the context of non-standard work patterns

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

Dan Woodman
Dan Woodman*
Affiliation:
University of Melbourne, Australia
*
Dan Woodman, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Melbourne, John Medley Building, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia. Email: dan.woodman@unimelb.edu.au
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Abstract

Non-standard patterns of paid work are increasing in Australia, and young people are among the most affected. To investigate the impact of non-standard work schedules on young people’s relationships, this article draws on data from 50 interviews conducted in 2008 and 4 surveys conducted between 2007 and 2012 with 636 young people (aged 18–24 years), all participating in the Life Patterns Project longitudinal study of youth in Australia. Over the 6 years, a majority of participants were engaged in non-standard work, working weekends, evenings or public holidays. A significant minority also faced weekly variability in their work schedules. The interview data suggest that these patterns of employment can be considered unsocial, making it more difficult to find regular periods of time together with a group of friends. Interview discussion also suggests that as a substitute for a greater quantity of shared time, some young people seek out shared experiences felt to be intense or out of the ordinary, such as that facilitated by alcohol consumption, to make the most of limited opportunities to bond with a group of close friends.

Keywords

A14Alcoholdecent workflexibilityfriendshiphealthnon-standard employmentsynchronisationunsocial hoursworkyouth
Type
Articles
Information
The Economic and Labour Relations Review , Volume 24 , Issue 3: Symposium – Precarious work: Economic, sociological and political perspectives , September 2013 , pp. 416 - 432
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2013

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