Download - Lucy P. Eldridge Sabrina Wulff Pabilonia
Are Those Who Bring Work Home
Really Working Longer Hours?
Implications for BLS Productivity Measures Lucy P. EldridgeSabrina Wulff Pabilonia
Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policies of the BLS
Labor Productivity Growth
Output Growth - Hours Worked Growth
Quarterly labor productivity for major sectors (principal federal economic indicator)
Industry labor productivity
International comparisons of labor productivity in manufacturing for 15 countries
Questions
Who is bringing work home from the workplace and why?
Do workers who bring work home work longer hours than those who only work in the workplace?
Does the BLS’ nonfarm business sector labor productivity measure capture work brought home from the workplace?
Sources of Work at Home Data
American Time Use Survey (ATUS)
May CPS Supplement on Work Schedules and Work at Home (CPS Supplement)
American Time Use Survey (ATUS)
2003 - 2006 time-use daily diaries
Hours worked constructed using minutes for main job, by location
Restrict sample to nonfarm business sector employees who work on their diary day
ATUS: Bring Work Home Variable
Weekday diary day» Report any minutes of work for their main job
at the workplace and at home on the same day
Weekend/holiday diary day» Report any minutes of work at home
May CPS Supplement: Work Schedules and Work at Home
(CPS Supplement)
1997, 2001 and 2004
All respondents from the May CPS are asked supplement questions
Questions about work schedules and work at home
CPS Supplement: Bring Work Home Variable
“As part of this job do you do any of your work at home?”
“Do you have a formal arrangement with your employer to be paid for the work that you do at home or were you just taking work home from the job?
Percent of Nonfarm Business Employees, by Work Location
ATUS 2004
84%
3%
9%
5%
Workplace OnlyBring Work HomeHome Only (weekdays)Other
CPS Supplement 2004
8%4%
88%
No Work at Home
Bring Work Home
Work at Home (formal arrangement)
Who is bringing work home?
Estimate a multinomial logit model
Compare those who bring work home with
» those who work exclusively at the workplace (ATUS)
» those who do no work at home (CPS Supplement)
Who is bringing work home?Demographic characteristics
Black employees are less likely than white employees
Hispanic employees are less likely than non-Hispanic employees
Highly-educated employees are more likely than less-educated employees
Female employees are less likely than male employees (except 2001 CPS Supplement)
Older employees are more likely than younger employees (CPS Supplement)
Who is bringing work home? Parental Status
Parents of young children are more likely than those without children
Mothers of infants are less likely than fathers of infants (CPS Supplement)
Reasons for Working at Home Proportion of Nonfarm Business Employees Who Bring Work Home,
(CPS Supplement) 2001 2004
Finish or catch up on work 0.59 0.56
Nature of the job 0.24 0.29
Business is conducted from home 0.04 0.04
Coordinate work schedule with personal or family needs
0.05 0.05
Reduce commuting time or expense 0.01 0.01
Some other reason 0.06 0.06
Number of observations 2,895 3,143
Do those who bring work home work longer hours? (ATUS diary hours)
Weekday Weekend/holiday
Workplace Only
Bring Work Home
Workplace Only
Bring Work Home
Daily hours 8.2 9.1 7.1 2.1
2003 Daily workplace hours 8.2 7.4 7.1 0.6
Daily hours at home - 1.6 - 1.4
Daily hours 8.2 8.6 7.5 2.7
2004 Daily workplace hours 8.2 7.2 7.5 0.9
Daily hours at home - 1.4 - 1.8
Daily hours 8.1 9.2 6.9 2.2
2005 Daily workplace hours 8.1 7.5 6.9 0.6
Daily hours at home - 1.4 - 1.5
Daily hours 8.2 9.4 7.0 2.5
2006 Daily workplace hours 8.2 7.9 7.0 0.4
Daily hours at home - 1.4 - 2.0
Do those who bring work home work longer hours? (ATUS diary hours)
Weekday Weekend/holiday
Workplace Only
Bring Work Home
Workplace Only
Bring Work Home
Daily hours 8.2 9.1 7.1 2.1
2003 Daily workplace hours 8.2 7.4 7.1 0.6
Daily hours at home - 1.6 - 1.4
Daily hours 8.2 8.6 7.5 2.7
2004 Daily workplace hours 8.2 7.2 7.5 0.9
Daily hours at home - 1.4 - 1.8
Daily hours 8.1 9.2 6.9 2.2
2005 Daily workplace hours 8.1 7.5 6.9 0.6
Daily hours at home - 1.4 - 1.5
Daily hours 8.2 9.4 7.0 2.5
2006 Daily workplace hours 8.2 7.9 7.0 0.4
Daily hours at home - 1.4 - 2.0
Do those who bring work home work longer hours? (ATUS diary hours)
Weekday Weekend/holiday
Workplace Only
Bring Work Home
Workplace Only
Bring Work Home
Daily hours 8.2 9.1 7.1 2.1
2003 Daily workplace hours 8.2 7.4 7.1 0.6
Daily hours at home - 1.6 - 1.4
Daily hours 8.2 8.6 7.5 2.7
2004 Daily workplace hours 8.2 7.2 7.5 0.9
Daily hours at home - 1.4 - 1.8
Daily hours 8.1 9.2 6.9 2.2
2005 Daily workplace hours 8.1 7.5 6.9 0.6
Daily hours at home - 1.4 - 1.5
Daily hours 8.2 9.4 7.0 2.5
2006 Daily workplace hours 8.2 7.9 7.0 0.4
Daily hours at home - 1.4 - 2.0
Do those who bring work home work longer hours? (ATUS diary hours)
Weekday Weekend/holiday
Workplace Only
Bring Work Home
Workplace Only
Bring Work Home
Daily hours 8.2 9.1 7.1 2.1
2003 Daily workplace hours 8.2 7.4 7.1 0.6
Daily hours at home - 1.6 - 1.4
Daily hours 8.2 8.6 7.5 2.7
2004 Daily workplace hours 8.2 7.2 7.5 0.9
Daily hours at home - 1.4 - 1.8
Daily hours 8.1 9.2 6.9 2.2
2005 Daily workplace hours 8.1 7.5 6.9 0.6
Daily hours at home - 1.4 - 1.5
Daily hours 8.2 9.4 7.0 2.5
2006 Daily workplace hours 8.2 7.9 7.0 0.4
Daily hours at home - 1.4 - 2.0
Do those who bring work home work longer hours? (ATUS) Average weekly hours (AWH)
Weekday Weekend All
Workplace Only
Bring Work Home
Workplace Only
Bring Work Home
Workplace Only
Bring Work Home
2003 38.1 41.6 36.5 42.0 37.9 41.7
2004 38.0 41.4 37.2 43.0 37.9 41.9
2005 38.4 43.5 36.4 43.8 38.2 43.6
2006 38.4 42.5 35.4 43.5 38.1 42.8
Do those who bring work home work longer hours?
(CPS Supplement)
Average weekly hours (AWH)
No Work at Home
Bring Work Home
Bring Work Home at Least Once a Week
1997 36.9 44.6 -
2001 36.8 44.5 45.1
2004 36.5 43.8 44.3
BLS Hours Worked for all Persons in the Nonfarm Business Sector
Primary of source of hours data is the Current Employment Statistics (CES) survey
Supplement with other information where CES data are lacking, most importantly
» Estimate nonproduction/supervisory worker hours using a ratio from the Current Population Survey (CPS) by major industry groups
» Convert CES hours-paid to an hours-at-work basis using National Compensation Survey (NCS)
» Add hours for self-employed, government enterprise, and unpaid family workers from CPS
Share of Nonfarm Business Sector Hours and Employment, by Type of Worker: 2004
12%
17%
71%
Hours Worked Employment
Production/Nonsupervisory Employees Nonproduction/Supervisory Employees Nonemployees
12%
69%
19%
Does the BLS’ nonfarm business labor productivity measure capture work brought home?
Estimate percent of unmeasured hours for production/nonsupervisory employees and nonproduction/supervisory employees separately
Assume that hours worked at workplace are measured
Assume hourly workers are less likely to do unpaid work at home than salaried workers
Assume that CPS respondents include hours worked at home in their reported AWH
Hours worked for Production/ Nonsupervisory Employees
Measured hours
Unmeasured hours
52**hom
** NAWHwP
e
P
bwhP
bwh
P
52*P*workplace
PbwhP
bwhP
bwh~P
bwh~P NAWHwAWHw
Percent of Unmeasured Hours Worked for Production/Nonsupervisory Employees
workplace
PbwhP
bwhP
bwh~P
bwh~P
home
PP
AWHwAWHw
Percent of Unmeasured Hours for Production/Nonsupervisory Employees in Nonfarm Business Sector
ATUS
Share who bring work
home
Percent of unmeasured
hours
2003 4.1% 0.84%
2004 3.9% 0.76%
2005 4.4% 0.77%
2006 3.7% 0.58%
Percent of Unmeasured Hours for Production/Nonsupervisory Employees in Nonfarm Business Sector
ATUS
Share who bring work
home
Percent of unmeasured
hours
2003 4.1% 0.84%
2004 3.9% 0.76%
2005 4.4% 0.77%
2006 3.7% 0.58%
CPS Supplement
1997 5.0% 1.09%
2001 5.7% 0.89%
2004 5.3% 0.91%
Percent of Unmeasured Hours for Production/Nonsupervisory Employees in Nonfarm Business Sector
ATUS
Share who bring work
home
Percent of unmeasured
hours
2003 4.1% 0.84%
2004 3.9% 0.76%
2005 4.4% 0.77%
2006 3.7% 0.58%
CPS Supplement
1997 5.0% 1.09%
2001 5.7% 0.89%
2004 5.3% 0.91%
CPS Supplement(Once a week)
2001 4.0% 0.75%
2004 3.9% 0.78%
Hours worked for Nonproduction/ Supervisory Employees
Measured hours
Percent of unmeasured hours assuming hours at home are reported accurately in CPS AWH
52*NP*CPSP
CPSNP*M
P NAWHAWHAWH
workplace
PbwhP
bwhP
bwh~P
bwh~P
home
PP
AWHwAWHw
Percent of Unmeasured Hours for Employees in Nonfarm Business Sector
ATUS
Share who bring work
home
Percent of unmeasured
hours
2003 4.1% 0.84%
2004 3.9% 0.76%
2005 4.4% 0.77%
2006 3.7% 0.58%
CPS Supplement
1997 5.0% 1.09%
2001 5.7% 0.89%
2004 5.3% 0.91%
CPS Supplement(Once a week)
2001 4.0% 0.75%
2004 3.9% 0.78%
Does the BLS’ nonfarm business labor productivity measure capture work brought home?
What if those who bring work home are not able to accurately recall work at home in average weekly hours reported to the CPS?
Hours worked for Nonproduction/ Supervisory Employees (Reporting bias)
Measured hours
Percent of unmeasured hours assuming reporting bias
52*NP*CPSP
CPSNP*M
P NAWHAWHAWH
11
11
home
home
AWHAWHw
AWHAWHw
CPSP
bwhPP
bwhP
CPSNP
bwhNPNP
bwhNP
rPNP
Percent of Unmeasured Employee Hours in the Nonfarm Business Sector (Reporting Bias) (ATUS)
Share who bring work
home
Percent of hours at
home
AWH of those who bring work
home
AWH of those who
do not bring work home
Percent of unmeasured
hours
Production/nonsupervisory employees
2003 4.1% 19% 39.8 37.2 0.83%
2004 3.9% 16% 42.7 36.7 0.75%
2005 4.4% 15% 42.9 37.2 0.76%
2006 3.7% 14% 42.4 37.5 0.58%
Nonproduction/supervisory employees
2003 13.5% 14% 47.2 41.9 2.10%
2004 10.4% 16% 47.1 42.0 1.88%
2005 12.4% 11% 47.2 42.2 1.57%
2006 16.2% 15% 47.3 40.9 2.73%
Percent of Unmeasured Employee Hours in the Nonfarm Business Sector (Reporting Bias) (ATUS)
All Employees
Production/ Nonsupervisory
Employees
Nonproduction/ Supervisory Employees
Percent of total
unmeasured hours
Share of total hours
worked
Percent of unmeasured
hours
Share of total hours
worked
Percent of unmeasured
hours
2003 0.78 0.83% 0.22 2.10% 1.12%
2004 0.78 0.75% 0.22 1.88% 1.00%
2005 0.79 0.76% 0.21 1.57% 0.93%
2006 0.79 0.58% 0.21 2.73% 1.03%
Does BLS’ nonfarm business productivity capture unpaid work at home?
An adjusted hours series (levels) for all persons that captures work from home, will be approximately 0.6%– 1.1% higher than official series
An adjusted hours series (levels) for all persons that captures work from home, will be approximately 0.8%– 1.1% higher than official series (reporting bias)
Annual Average Growth in Hours of all Persons in the Nonfarm Business Sector
OPT series
No Reporting Bias
Adjusted Series Difference
ATUS
2003-2004
1.34% 1.27% -0.07%
2004-2005
1.66% 1.67% 0.01%
2005-2006
2.17% 2.00% -0.17%
2003-2006
1.72% 1.65% -0.08%
Annual Average Growth in Hours of all Persons in the Nonfarm Business Sector
OPT series
No Reporting BiasHours at home not
reported to CPS
Adjusted Series Difference
Adjusted Series Difference
ATUS
2003-2004
1.34% 1.27% -0.07% 1.24% -0.10%
2004-2005
1.66% 1.67% 0.01% 1.60% -0.06%
2005-2006
2.17% 2.00% -0.17% 2.25% 0.08%
2003-2006
1.72% 1.65% -0.08% 1.70% -0.03%
Annual Average Growth in Hours of all Persons in the Nonfarm Business Sector
OPT Series Adjusted Series Difference
CPS SUPPLEMENT
1997-20010.80% 0.76% -0.04%
2001-2004-0.62% -0.61% 0.01%
1997-20040.19% 0.17% -0.02%
CPS Supplement (at least once a
week)2001-2004 -0.62% -0.61% 0.01%
Conclusions
8-9% of nonfarm business employees brought some of their work home ( 1997 – 2006)
Employees tend to bring work home in order to finish or catch up on work not completed in the workplace
Evidence suggest employees bring work home at least in part to better balance work and family
Highly-educated workers are more likely to bring work home than less-educated work
Conclusions
Those who bring work home work longer hours than those who work exclusively in a workplace
There may be a 0.6-1.1% downward bias in measured hours levels
Unmeasured hours worked at home have little affect on productivity trends
ATUS/CPS Supplement Match 2004
745 nonfarm business employees
93 brought work home (CPS Supplement)
45 brought work home on weekday(ATUS)» Only 21 ever work at home in CPS Supplement
45 brought work home on weekend(ATUS)» 69% did not have a formal arrangement to be
paid for work at home in the CPS Supplement
Hours worked for Production/ Nonsupervisory Employees (Reporting bias)
Measured hours
Percent of unmeasured hours
52*P*bwhP
bwhP
bwh~P
bwh~P NAWHwAWHw
1
AWHwAWHw
bwhP
bwhP
bwh~P
bwh~P
home
PrP