Tracking the Time Divide: A Sequence Analysis of Work Hour Mismatches

Workers across the industrialized world complain that they work too many or too few hours. This study provides a much needed long-term and holistic perspective on people’s experiences with hour mismatches. It examines decade-long sequences of work hour mismatches to assess how long work hour mismatches last, the extent to which they are temporary or recurring problems, and why people differ in their cumulative exposure to hour mismatches. The analysis uses data from the British Household Panel Study and sequence analysis techniques to analyze people’s experiences. We find that the vast majority of men and women report hour mismatches eventually, and that hour mismatches re-occur and often take years to resolve. Our analysis casts doubt on many theories about hour mismatches and highlights the need for more longitudinal studies to both guide theoretical development and document the consequences of work hour mismatches.