Flexible working - being asked to reconsider by new line manager

[LaBobkin]

Hi all, just looking for some thoughts, really.

I went back to work a year ago when DS was 3 and a half. Perfect role - nice company, near to home, in the field I worked in prior to having DS. The role is more junior, but that is fine, it suits me because it's so convenient. I was full time at first but in June I started a trial period of flexible working 4 days' hours over 5, with 2 days at home. The plan was I would pick DS up from school (he starts in September ) on my 2 wfh days.

The trial period is nearly up, and as far as I know there have been no issues with my work / output reported. However, my manager has resigned and I will be moving to a new department with a new manager. My new manager told me on Friday that whilst he is flexible he doesn't want to have fixed wfh days as there are 'meetings' I will have to attend. He cannot tell me what they are, or when they will occur. They want me to propose new hours by Wednesday as my trial will be up. I don't think I can sensibly do this if I don't know when these meetings will happen.

Has anyone experienced a similar situation? My only thought so far is to go back to near full time hours again, and ask them to agree reassess after a certain number of weeks when hopefully the regular commitments are clear.

Hope that's not too long... Any better ideas out there?

[2ndSopranosRule]

Some managers are very opposed to wfh arrangements. I think what he's trying to say is he wants to have flexibility.

I'm assuming that if you are planning on picking up your dc on your wfh days, that's the time you will stop working? In your position I'd maybe think about upping there number of hours you work on three days and work two shortened days in the office so you can still pick up.

[EBearhug]

With us, regular meetings are held on days everyone is in. Other meetings are held on days everyone is in if possible. In rare circumstances, people have swapped their regular day off/WFH day to be in the office for a meeting that for some reason can't be changed, and is particularly important (e.g. big boss from the USA, or vendors coming in.) In other cases, they will accept people will miss a meeting, and then someone (usually line manager) will fill in the details when they're back in.

However, it's not often that people have to change days, and it's usually done with enough notice that childcare or whatever can be rearranged. I don't see a problem with that, but obviously I'm not your manager. He sounds a bit unimaginative about how people can do work, but that does make it a problem.