Survey of Working Life research programme
The Survey of Working Life (SoWL) collected information on the employment conditions, work arrangements and job flexibility of employed people in New Zealand in the March 2008 quarter. The main topics covered by the SoWL are:
- Length of time in main job
- Employment relationship in main job (temporary including type of temporary employment, permanent, employer, self-employed)
- Working times and hours
- Work at home
- Job flexibility in main job
- Employer-funded study and training
- Work-related health and safety
- Annual leave entitlement in main job
- Type of employment agreement in main job (collective or individual)
- Union membership in main job
- Satisfaction with main job and with work-life balance.
The Department of Labour initiated this survey and worked closely with Statistics New Zealand to develop the SoWL. The survey was run as a supplement to the Household Labour Force Survey in the March 2008 quarter. It is intended the SoWL be regularly repeated so that changes in peoples employment conditions can be monitored. The first repeat of the SoWL is planned for the December quarter 2012.
The first data release from the SoWL can be found on the Statistics New Zealand website at: Survey of Working Life: March 2008 quarter.
The Department has continued to analyse the survey data and produced the following research papers. These papers are intended to provide accessible information on different dimensions of people's jobs and working lives.
