The data presented in this chapter derive from the CSO’s quarterly Labour Force Survey (LFS). This survey uses probability sampling to construct labour force estimates for the entire country, where employment status is based on International Labour Organisation (ILO) concepts & guidelines. Therefore, the definitions used in the LFS differ from those in use in the structural surveys referenced in Chapter 1. However, a benefit of the LFS is the production of breakdowns between male/female and full-time/part-time workers.
Across the Retail Economy, almost six in ten (57%) of those in employment in Q1 2022 were female. In Retail Trade, females accounted for 61% of those employed and represented 60% of those employed in Food & Beverage Service Activities. In contrast, it was estimated that females represented fewer than one in six (15.7%) employees in Motor Trades.
| For long labels below use to display on multiple lines | Male | Female | All |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (G45) | 26900 | 5000 | 31900 |
| Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles (G47) | 81000 | 127000 | 208000 |
| Food and beverage service activities (I56) | 48900 | 72600 | 121500 |
Females accounted for more than two-thirds (69%) of the 157,500 part-time employees, but less than half (47%) of the 203,900 full-time employees. More than seven in ten (71%) of all part-time workers in Retail Trade were female, while 66% of all part-time workers in Food & Beverage Service Activities were female.
| For long labels below use to display on multiple lines | Full-time | Part-time | All |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles (G47) | 53.5 | 71.3 | 61.1 |
| Food and beverage service activities (I56) | 52.6 | 65.8 | 59.8 |
In the Retail Economy the proportion of part-time workers is significant. In Quarter 1 2022, more than four in ten (44%) persons engaged worked part-time. More than half (54%) of those employed in Food & Beverage Service Activities were part-time workers. In Retail Trade this was reversed with almost six in ten (57%) working full-time. It is estimated that 91.5% of persons engaged in Motor Trades were full-time in Q1 2022.
| For long labels below use to display on multiple lines | 2022 |
|---|---|
| Full-time | 57.4 |
| Part-time | 42.6 |
| For long labels below use to display on multiple lines | 2022 |
|---|---|
| Full-time | 45.7 |
| Part-time | 54.3 |
When looking at both gender and type of work in Q1 2022, the data show that 97% of males employed in Motor Trades worked full-time. In Retail Trade, 69% of men worked full-time and in Food & Beverage Service Activities, just over half (54%) of male employees were full-time.
Just four in ten (40%) female employees in Food & Beverage Service Activities were considered full-time. In Retail Trade, the breakdown between female full-time and part-time workers was more evenly split at around 50% in each category.
| For long labels below use to display on multiple lines | Full-time | Part-time | All |
|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 107800 | 49100 | 156800 |
| Female | 96200 | 108500 | 204600 |
| All | 203900 | 157500 | 361500 |
The overall average weekly wage in all NACE sectors (excluding Agriculture) in Q1 2022, was €885.33 per week, which equates at €27.42 per hour for a 32.3 hour week on average. The average hourly earnings ranged from a high of €48.20 per hour for a 36.0 hour week on average in Publishing activities (J58), to a low of €14.92 per hour for a 25.4 hour week on average in Food & Beverage Service Activities (I56).
| For long labels below use to display on multiple lines | Average earnings per week |
|---|---|
| All NACE Rev. 2 sectors | 885.33 |
| Publishing activities (J58) | 1736.86 |
| Basic pharmaceutical products and preparations (C21) | 1660.74 |
| Computer programming, consultancy and Information service activities (J62,J63) | 1590.09 |
| Financial and insurance service activities (K64,K65) | 1434.15 |
| Computer, electronic and optical products (C26) | 1415.62 |
| Real estate activities (L68) | 800.08 |
| Motor trades (G45) | 737.28 |
| Repair of computers, personal and household goods; other personal service activities (S95,S96) | 494.57 |
| Retail trade (G47) | 484.53 |
| Accommodation (I55) | 417.09 |
| Food and beverage service activities (I56) | 378.52 |
The level of full-time versus part-time working was also reflected in the number of hours worked and average wage per week. In Quarter 1 2022, the average weekly wage in the Motor Trades sector was €737.28 per week. The corresponding wage in Retail Trade was €484.53 and €378.52 in Food & Beverage Service Activities.
The average hours worked in Quarter 1 2022 was 36.9 hours per week in Motor Trades but was much lower in the other two sectors. Average hours worked was 27.0 hours in Retail Trade and 25.4 hours in Food & Beverage Service Activities, where there was a greater proportion of staff working part-time.
| Average earnings and weekly paid hours per week | Average earnings per week | Average Weekly paid hours |
|---|---|---|
| Wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (G45) | 737.28 | 36.9 |
| Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles (G47) | 484.53 | 27 |
| Food and beverage service activities (I56) | 378.52 | 25.4 |
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