---
title: "Myths, Mindsets and Modern Work"
description: "Based on a conversation I had with a leader last week who is part of a leadership development program I am facilitating, we were talking about accountability and delivering results and I referenced someone in my world who is working part-time. This leader responded with, “Well, if they work part-time, they can’t complain about being […]"
featured_image: "https://www.ontalent.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Emotional-Intelligence-1-scaled.png"
url: "https://www.ontalent.com.au/myths-mindsets-and-modern-work/"
date_modified: "2025-10-21T15:18:43+10:00"
---

- [October 21, 2025](https://www.ontalent.com.au/2025/10/21/)

# Myths, Mindsets and Modern Work

**Ilea Stoltenberg**

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![Emotional Intelligence (1)](https://www.ontalent.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Emotional-Intelligence-1-scaled.png)

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Based on a conversation I had with a leader last week who is part of a leadership development program I am facilitating, we were talking about accountability and delivering results and I referenced someone in my world who is working part-time. This leader responded with, “Well, if they work part-time, they can’t complain about being busy.” This leader didn’t know that I am also a part-time employee and it got me thinking about some of the myths that we have around part-time work.

The latest 2025 data and research challenge some of the most common myths:

##### Myth 1: Part-time employees aren’t ambitious or won’t progress.

**Insight:** Surveys show many part-time employees are deeply career-oriented. When organisations invest in learning and development, part-timers demonstrate strong career adaptability and advancement potential. (Timewise, 2025)

##### Myth 2: Part-time roles are inherently low quality or less productive.

**Insight:** Productivity is not a function of hours worked but of job design and role clarity. Well-structured part-time roles retain key skills and can deliver exceptional results. (Emerald, 2025)

##### Myth 3: Part-time work is disappearing.

**Insight:** Labour market data show part-time work remains a critical and growing segment of the global workforce, especially in hybrid and flexible models. (World Economic Forum, 2025)

When leaders hold onto outdated myths, they risk under-utilising talent and limiting inclusion. By reframing part-time work as a strategic workforce lever, leaders can build more resilient, engaged, and diverse teams.

[Previous: Are Good Leaders Born Or Made? What Drives People To Step Up And Lead With Confidence](https://www.ontalent.com.au/are-good-leaders-born-or-made-what-drives-people-to-step-up-and-lead-with-confidence/)
[Next: OnTalent Insights October 2025 – The Changing Face of Leadership](https://www.ontalent.com.au/ontalent-insights-october-2025-the-changing-face-of-leadership/)

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