Demotivated because of appraisal comments regarding my p/t status.

[TheRedSalamander]

I work 27 hours per week over 4 days in a professional office based role. This is a long term formal arrangement, my contract is still for full time hours but have worked reduced hours since 2006 with the regular hours documented and with the full support or my employer.

I recently had my routine appraisal, and as always (not trumpet blowing but puts this into context) I received good feedback, had achieved/exceeded targets set, positive comments etc etc. In the career aspirations box I had said that I would at some point like to be considererd for promotion, I am second in command to my boss and would like to move up the ladder.

In my bosses closing statements however one of his comments really narked me. It says "TheRedSalamander would like to work towards the next level but appreciates that her current working hours prevent this"

I did wonder whether this was the case before my appraisal, sort of had a feeling that management wouldn't look favourably on any applications I made because of my part time hours. But seeing it in print was a bit of a shock and tbh I signed it (to agree contents of appraisal) in a bit of a daze.

Now I feel all deflated and rubbish about my job. It's been so so demotivating and whilst I am still pulling my weight and getting the job done, I feel a bit flat.

Not sure what this post is trying to achieve but felt the need to share! Thanks.

[rookiemater]

You need to have a chat with your boss so he can explain the comment, he probably thinks in his mind that he has talked to you about it but clearly he hasn't.

It may be that the next level is not something he sees being done part time, or can reasonably be done in less than full time hours, that does not mean that the good job that you are doing hasn't gone unrecognised or is not worth while, it just means that either your boss is wrong and the job can be done p/t and you need to have a chat about how that can be achieved, or you need to think if going f/t is something you want to do to progress.

It's great that you are doing such a good job and that this is documented, can understand why you are demotivated, but unfortunately being p/t does sometimes lead to compromises on ambition.

[LaCiccolina]

I agree with rookie. I think theres a disparity between what he thinks was covered and what you feel was covered in your meeting. He may genuinely believe the next step promotion cannot be completed on shorter working hours and perhaps he hasn't explained his reasoning properly. Or perhaps you have not understood his point by letting your own ambition or feeling in the way. Bit difficult to tell.

I do think you need to chat again quickly over a coffee and Id suggest off site just to make it feel a little more of a chat to explore his thoughts than a formal effort. The longer you leave it the more you will build it up in your head, going over what you should have/could have said.

I know, done it myself. It just makes a situation worse long term. Good luck.

[LadyLapsang]

Do you appreciate that your current working hours prevent you getting promoted or is that his take on things?
If it wasn't discussed and agreed then he shouldn't have written it - sounds like he's just covering his ass & like so many appraisals says as much about the manager as the reportee.
Do you not take the report away to consider and add your comments before you sign?

[TheRedSalamander]

Lady- I don't think that my hours are an issue for moving up. Next level is to team leader, most team leaders who work full time hours are out of the office and uncontactable around 2 days per week (uncontactable due to nature of job) so the fact that I manage my work to be in the office rather than travelling means that I probably have more time in the office than they do. So I don't agree with him on that front.
Rookie/LaCiccolina- the discussion I had with him was along the lines of:

"TRS: I'd really like to work towards promotion. I know in theory that this should be achievable and my hours should not prevent this but feel that the management team don't see me as suitable because I work 27 hours per week and not full time.
Boss: Yes you're right. Theory and practice are different, the way things work really is that they don't believe the job can be done in part time hours. Work load is the problem, if we give you team leadership duties when will you find the time to do your other normal day to day stuff? "


My argument to this is that no matter what a persons hours are or what additional work you are giving them, if that person would then potentially have too much work then, in our workplace, the load gets shifted around. That happens with anyone. If your workload is too high, something gives. Appreciate this isn't how it works everywhere, but we are lucky in that my employer is willing to shift workloads around to suit.

I did see the comment before I signed it but it didn't really sink in. Now Ive had time to think about it I am crosser.

I don't even know if I want to raise it with my boss. I think I would be making myself stand out for the wrong reasons and would be starting a fight I just don't know if I want to take on.

Do you really think that my ambition has to be compromised? I am not talking about being a master of industry, a CEO or board level director, I am talking about being a team leader of professional office based colleagues. Although perhaps it's a case of being told that I can't have something and then wanting it! Don't know.

[rookiemater]

Ok his comment is more understandable. I do think you need to speak to him otherwise it will fester, do it pleasantly and beforehand you need to put together a coherent demonstration of how you will believe that working p/t will work at team leader level. It will probably need to be a bit more persuasive than what you have laid out above, be very specific about how you would achieve the job in the 27 hours and what elements would need to be given to someone else and who you think could do this.

Only you know if the job can be done p/t, you boss might be a bit miffed that you think his job could be done in less hours than he currently does it!

[wearenotinkansas]

I would furious if someone said I couldn't get promoted because I worked a four day week! I also think its potential sex discrimination - on the basis that women are more likely to work p/t - although have to say am not expert on this. I agree with rookiemater - you need to deal with this - and get appraisal form changed asap.

And bet you can do the job in 4 days just as well as the others do in 5!!