Mobilizing female labour market reserves

Abstract

With an ageing population and a persistent booming economy, Norway is already facing an unmet demand for labour. Considering the country’s high female part-time work rate, more full-time work among women constitutes a potential labour reserve. This article investigates factors that encourage transitions into full-time work and discourage transitions out of full-time work based on panel data from the period 2003–2009. Shifts between working-time status are linked to human capital, occupational characteristics and household structure, although partner characteristics are less important than assumed. Educational attainment promotes transitions to full-time work and deters shifts to part-time work, while health restrictions have the opposite effects. Working in occupations in the health and service sector restricts transitions to full-time work, as does having a high-earning partner. The partner’s education and working hours have no effect. In spite of well-developed policies for working parents, young children still constrain women’s transitions to full-time work and promote shifts in the reverse direction. Improved access to full-time work and stronger full-time norms in all occupations, more and better educated staff in kindergartens and more involved fathering may promote women’s full-time employment.