Anyone working 37.5 hours over a 4 day week? Advice please

[Tiredemma]

Due to go back to work beginning of MArch.

Briefly discussed working four days with my line manager just prior to go on MAternity leave.

I want to work Mon-Thurs and condense my FT hours over this period.

This would mean working 0800-1730 with a 30 min lunch break.

Any advice? does it work for you? does it impact upon the workplace? (does it impact upon homelife?)

[Unexpected]

I haven't done it but a colleague did and her issues were:

Difficulty with childcare which didn't start early enough (she had a commute as well, mybe this isn't so relevant in your case)
Yes, she did find it hard to remain focussed all day and by Thurs evening was very tired but she did get more used to it
Because her lunch break was so short she couldn't do any of the shopping/errands that most people rely on doing during their lunch break so it all got shoved into her "day off" on Friday.

From a workplace point of view, it certainly didn't impact upon us, her colleagues. However, her boss (who was top dog) decided that on the Friday she was going to employ another person to fill-in. In most workplaces, that probably wouldn't happen.

[Tiredemma]

Thats helpful -

To be honest I rarely get a lunchbreak anyway so to eeven try and get out to do an errand would be a dream.

I would expect my Deputy ward managers (I am ward manager) to cover my friday absence.

Thanks for your advice

[chanie44]

I do something similar and as I have to commute, I find it exhausting, but the day a week makes it worthwhile.

[Hotbot]

I'm nhs and exactly this. I have found that some of my senior colleagues think its fun to schedule meetings on ad ri as they thin i can come as I'm a day off..... It took a lot of no , that doesn't work for me and I can do 8.00 or 5.30 pm as store to find they didn't want to stay late or come in early. Have you cinsidered mm as a day as you will gain the b.h. A.l. Hrs. I have done this pattern for 7yrs now and it works fine but I am having to consider changing due to work conflicting commitments . I will say that it's tough in winter as you get little outside playing time with the kids in winter after work.

[Hotbot]

Oh and for 37.5 hrs it would be 8-6 for 3 days with thurs as 8-5.30.

[Tiredemma]

Thanks hotbot.

there is no way that I would get monday as my day off- its the day where we have all of our management meetings so its the most crucial day of the week for me to attend.

I only really want to do it until DD is 3 years old- fingers crossed its agreed.

I agree that teh 'long days' in the winter will no doubt pose a problem for me.

[Cleanandclothed]

I think it can work if it is 'shift pattern' working, but not in places where 'overtime' is the norm. For example, if 'working hours' are 9-5 with an hour for lunch, but everyone does more like 9 till 7 with 30 minutes if you are lucky ( as is the case for most professional services firms, for example) then getting paid a full time wage for working 9-7 4 days on the grounds that those are 100percent of the contracted hours doesn't go down well. So be very aware of perceptions, and how much 'overtime' you can/will put in compared to 5 day colleagues.

[Tiredemma]

I see what you mean clean

My 'normal' working pattern is 9-5 but I have never really worked that- it very much depends on the demands of the service- for example we have an On site Senior Nurse rota that is covered by band 6's and band 7's - if it falls on my ward (ie me and my two band 6's) then we have to provide overall support for entire hospital between hours of 7am and 8pm) so on these days I am very flexible and either start at 7 and leave early or start late and go at 8pm.

To be honest, as long as I work 37.5 hours a week, my manager isnt going to get picky about what time I start or finish- we have a 'clocking in and out' swipe card system so my hours can be easily looked at.

Its more the impact on 'home life' I suppose I am becoming ever more concerned with now. I actually need 36 hours in a day. that would help!

[RTjoke]

I did 8-6 Mon to Thurs while my two DDs were small. It was hard work but I loved the day at home with the kids and that made it worth it. My commute meant I was out of the house 7.15-6.45 so hardly saw the kids for those four days but one full day with them felt much more satisfying than an hour or two everyday, especially when that hour or two would have been tired, grouchy end of the day time.

We had a live in au pair, without her I could not have done it. She delivered them to and picked them up from nursery and she covered mild sickness absences.

[Hotbot]

Sad tho it seems , I started in mat leave with a routine geared to 8-6, so bath time would always be when I got home and I was really selfish with dh about putting them to bed as well, luckily he understood.
I felt really GUI,ty for ages but now I look back , they are 7 and 3 now, it was more to do with me and my feelings rather than their need.
Good luck , fingers crossed for you.