In 1995, there were an estimated 301,000 home-based small business operators, that is where the operator usually worked more hours at home than away from home. Many small business operators work long hours. Employees in small businesses received lower earnings than their counterparts in larger businesses. In addition to wages and salaries, employees commonly receive various benefits in return for their labour. The Employment Benefits Survey, last conducted in August 1994, provides details of employees who worked in small and large workplaces.
Some small locations are part of larger businesses.
Given that employment benefits are more likely to be determined by the size of the business than the size of the location, differences in conditions of service between employees of small business and those of larger businesses could well be more marked than the following statistics indicate. The difference was greater for small businesses with less than 10 employees. Full-time employees at small locations were also less likely to receive holiday leave, sick leave or long service leave. Differences in rates of pay and other work conditions between employees in small and large businesses may reflect differences in the skills of employees and the stability and profitability of the businesses. However, they may also reflect differences in the influence of trade unions.