Side hustles, eldercare, exercise and fatherhood: meet the part time men at Zurich succeeding in and out of the office

New data from insurer Zurich UK reveals that the number of employees hired on a part time basis has increased by 41% since becoming the first company in Britain to offer all vacancies on a part time, job share or flexible basis in 2019¹. Part time workers now account for more than one in seven employees at the insurer (14%).

Around eight million people in the UK are part time workers, making up nearly a quarter of the total workforce². Additionally, flexible working is a major factor in the soon to be passed Employment Rights Bill, part of the first phase of delivering the government’s Plan to Make Work Pay. The bill strengthens the existing ‘day-one’ right to request flexible working and aims to support flexibility and security.

According to a parliamentary report into Women and the UK economy, over a third (36%) of female workers are part time compared to just 14% of the male working population³. While the majority of part time workers at Zurich UK are women, one in 10 are men (10%). Similarly, one in eight (12%) part time hires in 2024 were also men. Since the policy was introduced, the number of men choosing to work part time at the insurer has grown by 48%.

Commenting on the statistics, Steve Collinson, Chief HR Officer for Zurich UK said: “It’s great to see so many of our employees embracing our part time working policies, and for such a variety of reasons. Achieving a great work life blend is something that everyone should aspire to, no matter your gender or where you’re at in your career.

“Our part time jobs initiative has allowed us to create a culture which encourages employees to work in a way that benefits both them and our business. Not only does this widen the talent pool for Zurich, but it allows colleagues to be there for their families, create work-life balance or indeed, to invest in their education or side hustles. Seeking flexibility and nurturing your passions outside of the office shouldn't mean that your career has to take a back seat.”

Baroness Joanna Penn, Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Flexible and Family-Friendly Working said: “Companies like Zurich have shown how successful flexible working can be for both employers and employees. If we’re serious about some of our most important economic challenges such as improving productivity and closing the gender pay gap, then we also need to find ways to encourage the widest pool of talent into the labour market and that means finding ways of working that fit people’s lives. The take up of part time working amongst men at the company shows that flexible working and balancing work and care is important to everyone. Zurich are amongst those leading the way – not just by having good policies in place but investing in the culture shift needed to give people the confidence to take them up.”

A CrossFit gym business, a master's degree, wild swimming and daddy daughter time: the Zurich men choosing part time working

At Zurich UK there are many reasons people may choose to work part time, such as caring responsibilities for children or older parents, pursuing further education qualifications, working on a side hustle or finding a better work life balance.

We spoke to some of the men choosing to work part time about how this has impacted their lives both at home and at work:

Craig Glover, a senior underwriter based in Leeds, has worked four days a week for the past 12 years while raising his family and supporting his wife’s career as a doctor.

“My children are now 13 and 15, so although I don’t need to do the school run it’s great to be around for that one day and talk to my kids when they walk through the door about their day before the evening comes and they’re off doing other things.

“My wife is a doctor, so her job is not flexible. She works 4.5 days a week so together we’re working eight and a half days rather than ten which means more quality time together as a family.

“As I get older, I realise that time is more important to me. The need for materialistic things has waned and I want quality time for myself and my family.”

Simon Thompson, a customer experience manager from Swindon, has been with Zurich for almost 25 years. Around five years ago he made the decision to improve his work/life balance and now spends every Wednesday cycling or swimming in a nearby lake.

“The further you get into your career, the more you start to weigh up what is important to you. Do you need to earn more money? Or do you want more time? For me, it started to swing more towards time.

“That one day is massively beneficial to me, for both fitness perspective and my mental health. That one day I can escape from the routine.

Simon also uses this time to visit his mum who lives alone. “When you get to this age, your parents start to get to that point where they do need a bit more support, and that can be a strain. So again, the extra flexibility allows me to spend a bit more time with her.”

Markus Griggs, a commercial insurance subject matter expert from Fareham, has worked at Zurich for 30 years in various roles. Five years ago, Markus began working part time after deciding to put his passion into practice and set up a CrossFit gym business with his business partner. Markus now works Monday to Wednesday at Zurich, and spends Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at his gym in Kent.

“Working part-time is mutually beneficial to both me and Zurich. When I’m working in my role for those three days, I get my head down and give it 100%. I’m completely focused and that's reflected in my outputs.

“Owning a gym is fulfilling my passion, and I get to completely switch off from my other work while I’m working there. Although I’m still working, it’s such a contrast that I come back to Zurich on a Monday energised and full of enthusiasm.

Markus believes being able to have the best of both worlds really helps his mental health. He relishes the opportunity to excel at both Zurich and his own business.

“My stress levels are much lower and there's a definite health benefit to my new lifestyle which is probably surprising. Comparing how I’ve felt working in a five-day role, I’m more relaxed and happier than I've been in any other sort of working situation.”

“To have this freedom to do both was unthinkable a few years back and probably unthinkable in a lot of organisations. The flexibility at Zurich has allowed me to pursue both passions and my immediate boss and my team have all been so supportive. It’s great to have a successful sideline in terms of the gym - we have 250 members and I’m so proud.

“It does come down to integrity and trust. You must have that integrity and drive to get the job done in those three days a week, which I do.”

Dave R, a motor claims liability dispute handler from York, has two young children – a son who started school this September and a daughter who is just four months old. He uses his non-working day to spend quality time with his children but also uses it to minimise childcare costs. He joined Zurich on a part-time contract two years ago.

“Our relatives are a long way away so my wife and I both work part-time to juggle the childcare. I’ve been able to spend quality one-on-one time with my son since his birth which has been incredible. He started school in September and it makes me even more grateful to have had that special time together. Now I get to have daddy and daughter time - I’m really lucky to be able to continue that with my second child.”

Dave doesn’t feel like he’s been held back at all with work opportunities and has a supportive team who keep him in the loop with anything he misses on his non-working day.

“I might adapt my hours in the future to work around school pick up but for now this works well for us. Working part-time is a great way to be present for your family.”

Ben Clark, a risk engineer for Zurich Resilience Solutions from London, currently works two days a week at Zurich whilst studying for a master's degree in climate change as he shifts his career focus. Once he completes his studies, Ben plans to return to full-time work.

“I landed my dream job as a risk engineer and wanted to gain a qualification that would help me progress in my new role and career path. I spoke to my manager about the possibility of working part-time so I could study alongside my job. He was fully supportive, recognising the benefits to my role with the new skills I’d develop.”

“Our team meets once a quarter, and we always make sure these meetings fall on my working days. I’ve always felt included and haven’t felt like I’m missing out.”

Ben is confident that working part-time hasn’t slowed his career. “If anything, my career is just getting started. I’ve been given the opportunity to study for a qualification, which is helping me grow both professionally and personally.”

• ¹Changing the default: a field trial with Zurich Insurance to advertise all jobs as part time report, 2019
• ²A Question of Time: What's happening with part-time working in the UK? report, Timewise, 2023
• ³Women and the UK economy report, House of Commons Library, 2025
  

• Zurich UK’s flexible working policy