Insights into hours worked, January 2023

Released

16/02/2023

Source

Labour Force, Australia, January 2023

The ABS will continue to monitor changes in hours worked and provide additional analysis when relevant.

Key findings

Hours worked decreased by 40.3 million hours (-2.1 per cent) in seasonally adjusted terms between December 2022 and January 2023, and employment decreased by 11,500 people (-0.1 per cent) over the same period.

Chart 1 shows a fall in hours worked in January. Both the hours worked series and employment series have recovered above their pre-pandemic levels, with hours increasing 3.8 per cent and employment increasing 5.6 per cent since March 2020.

Chart 1: Hours worked and employment index, Seasonally adjusted (March 2020 = 100.0)
	Hours (March 2020 Index)	Employed (March 2020 Index)
Jan-20	100.3	99.9
Feb-20	100.3	100.0
Mar-20	100.0	100.0
Apr-20	90.0	95.5
May-20	90.8	93.3
Jun-20	94.3	95.1
Jul-20	95.4	95.9
Aug-20	95.7	97.1
Sep-20	95.5	96.8
Oct-20	97.5	98.0
Nov-20	99.0	98.6
Dec-20	98.9	98.9
Jan-21	94.6	99.2
Feb-21	100.0	99.8
Mar-21	102.3	100.4
Apr-21	101.0	100.2
May-21	102.5	100.9
Jun-21	101.0	101.1
Jul-21	100.9	101.1
Aug-21	96.8	100.1
Sep-21	97.7	99.1
Oct-21	97.6	98.8
Nov-21	101.8	101.6
Dec-21	102.9	102.3
Jan-22	95.0	102.6
Feb-22	103.3	103.3
Mar-22	102.9	103.6
Apr-22	104.2	103.8
May-22	104.8	104.2
Jun-22	105.1	104.9
Jul-22	104.8	104.7
Aug-22	105.5	105.1
Sep-22	105.3	105.1
Oct-22	107.7	105.4
Nov-22	107.3	105.9
Dec-22	106.1	105.7
Jan-23	103.8	105.6

Chart 1: Hours worked and employment index, Seasonally adjusted (March 2020 = 100.0)

["","Hours","Employed"]

[["Jan-20","Feb-20","Mar-20","Apr-20","May-20","Jun-20","Jul-20","Aug-20","Sep-20","Oct-20","Nov-20","Dec-20","Jan-21","Feb-21","Mar-21","Apr-21","May-21","Jun-21","Jul-21","Aug-21","Sep-21","Oct-21","Nov-21","Dec-21","Jan-22","Feb-22","Mar-22","Apr-22","May-22","Jun-22","Jul-22","Aug-22","Sep-22","Oct-22","Nov-22","Dec-22","Jan-23"],[[100.3],[100.3],[100],[90],[90.799999999999997],[94.299999999999997],[95.400000000000006],[95.700000000000003],[95.5],[97.5],[99],[98.900000000000006],[94.599999999999994],[100],[102.3],[101],[102.5],[101],[100.90000000000001],[96.799999999999997],[97.700000000000003],[97.599999999999994],[101.8],[102.90000000000001],[95],[103.3],[102.90000000000001],[104.2],[104.8],[105.09999999999999],[104.8],[105.5],[105.3],[107.7],[107.3],[106.09999999999999],[103.8]],[[99.900000000000006],[100],[100],[95.5],[93.299999999999997],[95.099999999999994],[95.900000000000006],[97.099999999999994],[96.799999999999997],[98],[98.599999999999994],[98.900000000000006],[99.200000000000003],[99.799999999999997],[100.40000000000001],[100.2],[100.90000000000001],[101.09999999999999],[101.09999999999999],[100.09999999999999],[99.099999999999994],[98.799999999999997],[101.59999999999999],[102.3],[102.59999999999999],[103.3],[103.59999999999999],[103.8],[104.2],[104.90000000000001],[104.7],[105.09999999999999],[105.09999999999999],[105.40000000000001],[105.90000000000001],[105.7],[105.59999999999999]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"Index","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(March 2020 Index)","table_units":"(March 2020 Index)","axis_min":null,"axis_max":null,"tick_interval":null,"precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Source: Labour Force, Australia Tables 1 and 19

In this article, all data in original terms is presented back to January 2017 as it is the best direct comparison for January 2023, given it was the previous time the survey reference period covered 1 January to 14 January.

Early January is the seasonal peak in people taking annual leave. As in 2021 and 2022, in January 2023 more people than usual took annual leave. Around 43 per cent of employed people worked reduced or no hours because they were on leave, compared with around 41 per cent of employed people over the same period before the pandemic.

Chart 2 shows the proportion of employed people working fewer hours than usual in January. The total proportion of employed people working fewer hours in January 2023 was 55.6 per cent of people. This was 2.1 percentage points higher than January 2017 (mainly reflecting more people than usual being on annual and other related leave) but 1.3 percentage points below January 2022 (when more people than usual were away from work sick, in addition to higher than usual rates of annual and other related leave).

Chart 2: Proportion of employed people who worked fewer hours than usual in January, Original
	Annual leave, holidays, flextime, or long service leave (%)	Own illness or injury or sick leave (%)	Personal reasons, study, caring for sick or injured family (%)	No work, not enough work available, or stood down or 'other reasons' (%)	Remaining reasons (%)
Jan-17	40.8	1.8	0.9	5.1	4.9
Jan-18	44.6	1.7	1.0	5.0	4.2
Jan-19	20.4	2.4	1.4	4.8	4.4
Jan-20	22.2	2.5	1.5	5.2	4.8
Jan-21	29.2	2.1	1.3	5.9	4.6
Jan-22	39.3	5.7	1.1	6.7	4.1
Jan-23	42.8	2.2	1.0	5.3	4.2

Chart 2: Proportion of employed people who worked fewer hours than usual in January, Original

["","Annual leave, holidays, flextime, or long service leave","Own illness or injury or sick leave","Personal reasons, study, caring for sick or injured family","No work, not enough work available, or stood down or 'other reasons'","Remaining reasons"]

[["Jan-17","Jan-18","Jan-19","Jan-20","Jan-21","Jan-22","Jan-23"],[[40.799999999999997],[44.600000000000001],[20.399999999999999],[22.199999999999999],[29.199999999999999],[39.299999999999997],[42.799999999999997]],[[1.8],[1.7],[2.3999999999999999],[2.5],[2.1000000000000001],[5.7000000000000002],[2.2000000000000002]],[[0.90000000000000002],[1],[1.3999999999999999],[1.5],[1.3],[1.1000000000000001],[1]],[[5.0999999999999996],[5],[4.7999999999999998],[5.2000000000000002],[5.9000000000000004],[6.7000000000000002],[5.2999999999999998]],[[4.9000000000000004],[4.2000000000000002],[4.4000000000000004],[4.7999999999999998],[4.5999999999999996],[4.0999999999999996],[4.2000000000000002]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"%","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":null,"axis_max":null,"tick_interval":null,"precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Source: Labour Force, Australia Data Cube EM2a and Table 1

People working fewer hours than usual due to annual leave, flextime or long service leave

Chart 3 shows the number of people working fewer hours due to annual leave, flextime or long service leave increased between December and January, as it does every year. The proportion of employed people taking annual leave in January 2023 was around 2.0 percentage points above the comparable January 2017.

Chart 3: Employed people working fewer hours than usual due to annual leave, flextime or long service leave, Original
	Worked fewer hours than usual ('000)
Jan-17	4,852.0
Feb-17	841.7
Mar-17	847.7
Apr-17	3,336.2
May-17	1,009.9
Jun-17	1,877.7
Jul-17	1,600.3
Aug-17	778.6
Sep-17	774.1
Oct-17	2,221.4
Nov-17	1,181.5
Dec-17	801.4
Jan-18	5,489.0
Feb-18	765.1
Mar-18	1,474.9
Apr-18	3,417.3
May-18	1,020.8
Jun-18	1,970.3
Jul-18	1,469.4
Aug-18	772.1
Sep-18	826.0
Oct-18	2,405.1
Nov-18	1,216.4
Dec-18	817.9
Jan-19	2,570.9
Feb-19	758.1
Mar-19	1,414.8
Apr-19	1,196.3
May-19	1,060.6
Jun-19	1,913.4
Jul-19	1,459.7
Aug-19	898.4
Sep-19	825.2
Oct-19	2,507.4
Nov-19	1,190.3
Dec-19	769.6
Jan-20	2,844.4
Feb-20	783.4
Mar-20	1,329.6
Apr-20	1,786.1
May-20	601.4
Jun-20	1,373.4
Jul-20	1,136.9
Aug-20	637.7
Sep-20	579.7
Oct-20	1,822.9
Nov-20	1,046.0
Dec-20	705.9
Jan-21	3,711.1
Feb-21	679.9
Mar-21	1,171.2
Apr-21	3,444.1
May-21	976.9
Jun-21	916.4
Jul-21	1,334.5
Aug-21	511.6
Sep-21	525.7
Oct-21	1,957.3
Nov-21	1,237.2
Dec-21	685.7
Jan-22	5,163.8
Feb-22	782.4
Mar-22	835.7
Apr-22	2,648.0
May-22	976.4
Jun-22	1,043.5
Jul-22	1,572.2
Aug-22	839.4
Sep-22	1,155.0
Oct-22	1,974.7
Nov-22	1,331.8
Dec-22	842.6
Jan-23	5,791.4

Chart 3: Employed people working fewer hours than usual due to annual leave, flextime or long service leave, Original

["","Worked fewer hours than usual"]

[["Jan-17","Feb-17","Mar-17","Apr-17","May-17","Jun-17","Jul-17","Aug-17","Sep-17","Oct-17","Nov-17","Dec-17","Jan-18","Feb-18","Mar-18","Apr-18","May-18","Jun-18","Jul-18","Aug-18","Sep-18","Oct-18","Nov-18","Dec-18","Jan-19","Feb-19","Mar-19","Apr-19","May-19","Jun-19","Jul-19","Aug-19","Sep-19","Oct-19","Nov-19","Dec-19","Jan-20","Feb-20","Mar-20","Apr-20","May-20","Jun-20","Jul-20","Aug-20","Sep-20","Oct-20","Nov-20","Dec-20","Jan-21","Feb-21","Mar-21","Apr-21","May-21","Jun-21","Jul-21","Aug-21","Sep-21","Oct-21","Nov-21","Dec-21","Jan-22","Feb-22","Mar-22","Apr-22","May-22","Jun-22","Jul-22","Aug-22","Sep-22","Oct-22","Nov-22","Dec-22","Jan-23"],[[4852],[841.70000000000005],[847.70000000000005],[3336.1999999999998],[1009.9],[1877.7],[1600.3],[778.60000000000002],[774.10000000000002],[2221.4000000000001],[1181.5],[801.39999999999998],[5489],[765.10000000000002],[1474.9000000000001],[3417.3000000000002],[1020.8],[1970.3],[1469.4000000000001],[772.10000000000002],[826],[2405.0999999999999],[1216.4000000000001],[817.89999999999998],[2570.9000000000001],[758.10000000000002],[1414.8],[1196.3],[1060.5999999999999],[1913.4000000000001],[1459.7],[898.39999999999998],[825.20000000000005],[2507.4000000000001],[1190.3],[769.60000000000002],[2844.4000000000001],[783.39999999999998],[1329.5999999999999],[1786.0999999999999],[601.39999999999998],[1373.4000000000001],[1136.9000000000001],[637.70000000000005],[579.70000000000005],[1822.9000000000001],[1046],[705.89999999999998],[3711.0999999999999],[679.89999999999998],[1171.2],[3444.0999999999999],[976.89999999999998],[916.39999999999998],[1334.5],[511.60000000000002],[525.70000000000005],[1957.3],[1237.2],[685.70000000000005],[5163.8000000000002],[782.39999999999998],[835.70000000000005],[2648],[976.39999999999998],[1043.5],[1572.2],[839.39999999999998],[1155],[1974.7],[1331.8],[842.60000000000002],[5791.3999999999996]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"'000","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"('000)","table_units":"('000)","axis_min":null,"axis_max":null,"tick_interval":null,"precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Source: Labour Force, Australia Data Cube EM2a

People working fewer hours than usual due to their own illness or injury or sick leave

Chart 4 shows the number of people working fewer hours due to illness decreased by 303,800 people to 302,800 people, between December 2022 and January 2023. This was around 2.2 per cent of the total employed population, which was back around the usual pre-pandemic January level.

Chart 4: Employed people working fewer hours due to their own illness or injury or sick leave, Original
	Worked fewer hours than usual ('000)	Did not work (0 hours) ('000)
Jan-17	211.4	82.1
Feb-17	350.4	116.4
Mar-17	386.8	112.7
Apr-17	310.2	108.0
May-17	394.4	121.6
Jun-17	413.1	129.6
Jul-17	436.5	123.2
Aug-17	571.2	170.8
Sep-17	537.2	169.4
Oct-17	383.5	128.6
Nov-17	394.9	120.7
Dec-17	393.5	107.0
Jan-18	207.3	89.0
Feb-18	405.1	135.2
Mar-18	420.0	130.5
Apr-18	315.4	108.4
May-18	424.6	114.7
Jun-18	430.0	147.4
Jul-18	436.5	136.7
Aug-18	512.4	156.1
Sep-18	487.7	143.9
Oct-18	346.6	122.0
Nov-18	402.1	120.9
Dec-18	399.0	126.6
Jan-19	302.7	99.4
Feb-19	406.3	124.3
Mar-19	399.9	126.4
Apr-19	437.1	134.6
May-19	449.7	121.5
Jun-19	500.9	166.2
Jul-19	513.0	160.8
Aug-19	538.9	166.9
Sep-19	510.2	150.8
Oct-19	377.6	122.0
Nov-19	434.7	133.5
Dec-19	435.1	124.5
Jan-20	327.0	99.0
Feb-20	430.8	123.9
Mar-20	491.7	154.4
Apr-20	310.0	138.6
May-20	283.7	103.4
Jun-20	339.1	122.1
Jul-20	408.3	134.5
Aug-20	441.3	145.7
Sep-20	404.0	133.7
Oct-20	362.0	130.9
Nov-20	406.4	137.1
Dec-20	424.6	123.1
Jan-21	268.8	100.9
Feb-21	389.3	122.8
Mar-21	439.2	153.1
Apr-21	389.6	153.5
May-21	484.9	147.1
Jun-21	525.7	159.8
Jul-21	440.0	153.6
Aug-21	453.3	139.9
Sep-21	455.8	140.7
Oct-21	376.5	121.1
Nov-21	433.3	141.3
Dec-21	441.6	131.2
Jan-22	744.4	451.1
Feb-22	592.5	222.9
Mar-22	581.6	232.7
Apr-22	750.5	341.0
May-22	787.4	315.5
Jun-22	782.4	300.8
Jul-22	757.0	300.7
Aug-22	768.5	294.2
Sep-22	571.8	185.9
Oct-22	470.2	166.5
Nov-22	520.6	162.5
Dec-22	606.5	200.9
Jan-23	302.8	132.9

Chart 4: Employed people working fewer hours due to their own illness or injury or sick leave, Original

["","Worked fewer hours than usual","Did not work (0 hours)"]

[["Jan-17","Feb-17","Mar-17","Apr-17","May-17","Jun-17","Jul-17","Aug-17","Sep-17","Oct-17","Nov-17","Dec-17","Jan-18","Feb-18","Mar-18","Apr-18","May-18","Jun-18","Jul-18","Aug-18","Sep-18","Oct-18","Nov-18","Dec-18","Jan-19","Feb-19","Mar-19","Apr-19","May-19","Jun-19","Jul-19","Aug-19","Sep-19","Oct-19","Nov-19","Dec-19","Jan-20","Feb-20","Mar-20","Apr-20","May-20","Jun-20","Jul-20","Aug-20","Sep-20","Oct-20","Nov-20","Dec-20","Jan-21","Feb-21","Mar-21","Apr-21","May-21","Jun-21","Jul-21","Aug-21","Sep-21","Oct-21","Nov-21","Dec-21","Jan-22","Feb-22","Mar-22","Apr-22","May-22","Jun-22","Jul-22","Aug-22","Sep-22","Oct-22","Nov-22","Dec-22","Jan-23"],[[211.40000000000001],[350.39999999999998],[386.80000000000001],[310.19999999999999],[394.39999999999998],[413.10000000000002],[436.5],[571.20000000000005],[537.20000000000005],[383.5],[394.89999999999998],[393.5],[207.30000000000001],[405.10000000000002],[420],[315.39999999999998],[424.60000000000002],[430],[436.5],[512.39999999999998],[487.69999999999999],[346.60000000000002],[402.10000000000002],[399],[302.69999999999999],[406.30000000000001],[399.89999999999998],[437.10000000000002],[449.69999999999999],[500.89999999999998],[513],[538.89999999999998],[510.19999999999999],[377.60000000000002],[434.69999999999999],[435.10000000000002],[327],[430.80000000000001],[491.69999999999999],[310],[283.69999999999999],[339.10000000000002],[408.30000000000001],[441.30000000000001],[404],[362],[406.39999999999998],[424.60000000000002],[268.80000000000001],[389.30000000000001],[439.19999999999999],[389.60000000000002],[484.89999999999998],[525.70000000000005],[440],[453.30000000000001],[455.80000000000001],[376.5],[433.30000000000001],[441.60000000000002],[744.39999999999998],[592.5],[581.60000000000002],[750.5],[787.39999999999998],[782.39999999999998],[757],[768.5],[571.79999999999995],[470.19999999999999],[520.60000000000002],[606.5],[302.80000000000001]],[[82.099999999999994],[116.40000000000001],[112.7],[108],[121.59999999999999],[129.59999999999999],[123.2],[170.80000000000001],[169.40000000000001],[128.59999999999999],[120.7],[107],[89],[135.19999999999999],[130.5],[108.40000000000001],[114.7],[147.40000000000001],[136.69999999999999],[156.09999999999999],[143.90000000000001],[122],[120.90000000000001],[126.59999999999999],[99.400000000000006],[124.3],[126.40000000000001],[134.59999999999999],[121.5],[166.19999999999999],[160.80000000000001],[166.90000000000001],[150.80000000000001],[122],[133.5],[124.5],[99],[123.90000000000001],[154.40000000000001],[138.59999999999999],[103.40000000000001],[122.09999999999999],[134.5],[145.69999999999999],[133.69999999999999],[130.90000000000001],[137.09999999999999],[123.09999999999999],[100.90000000000001],[122.8],[153.09999999999999],[153.5],[147.09999999999999],[159.80000000000001],[153.59999999999999],[139.90000000000001],[140.69999999999999],[121.09999999999999],[141.30000000000001],[131.19999999999999],[451.10000000000002],[222.90000000000001],[232.69999999999999],[341],[315.5],[300.80000000000001],[300.69999999999999],[294.19999999999999],[185.90000000000001],[166.5],[162.5],[200.90000000000001],[132.90000000000001]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"'000","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"('000)","table_units":"('000)","axis_min":null,"axis_max":null,"tick_interval":null,"precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]