has anyone successfully negotiated a 4 day week?

[halia]

We'd like DH to go to a 4 day week. We're even happy for that 4 day week to in practise be about 35 hrs (he works very long hours at the moment)
We have a 4 yr old and Dh would like to spend more time with DS. Work is stressing him badly at the moment and family life is suffering a 4 day week would be much much better for us all - we can afford the 1/5 paycut OK in return for DH having friday at home!

So - good or bad time to ask? they frequently employ contractors on reduced hours and his work is project based so there's no reason he couldn't do his job on a 4 day week (he'd just drop one of his major projects).

I know you have the legal right to ask but there's no point if it will just get turned down and if it makes his boss see him negativly.

[insywinsyspider]

I work a 4 day week which is currently 35 hrs Mon-Thurs. I requested it after maternity leave citing my reasons as childcare and it was approved. IMO its a good time to ask if he's working for a company who are looking to make cost savings/reduce head count. My contract actually states I'm doing a full time job in part time hours (full time is currently 40hrs) I think thats only for HR/resource count tho.

I think its worth a shot and it depends on his manager, if he has a good relationship with him I'd go in and be honest about work life balance and wanting to spend more time with ds - I'd leave out bit about working stressing him out tho because that should be tackled if he gets turned down, that makes it sound like he can't cope rather than he wants to spend more time with his son

good luck with it all x

[HolidaysQueen]

I have negotiated a 3 day week but work for a very big company that is used to people (men and women) working flexi time or reduced hours. In return I take the occasional work call during DS's naps on my off days, and have agreed to switch my days on the odd occasion provided I have enough notice of big meetings so I can rearrange childcare. In return I can take time off in lieu. If your DH can offer a bit of flexibility then that will probably help.

I agree with insywinsy - just focus on the family side of things rather than the stress. Everyone has the right to request it for family reasons.

Your DH should think through the effects of his reduced hours on the business and other colleagues before requesting it so that he can have a good answer ready for any concerns his company may have. Also, is there precedent at his company? If there are he might want to chat with people on reduced days/hours to find out how it works and any issues there have been.

[halia]

thanks - half of whats stressing him about work is the long hours which mean he doesn't see enough of DS.

What are the possible issues they might raise? I can think of a few but would appreciate any other input;

Who will pick up the slack? company has track record of employing contractors for certain projects on p/t or temp contracts.
DH could transfer over responsibility for a specific project to someone else rather than just bits and pieces.
There is also a history of the rest of the team picking up for other people when they have been longterm sick or on sabbatical..

What if something came up on your 'day off'?
DH could check email and respond to EMERGANCY phone calls/emails between 12 and 1pm on his day off.

What if there was an important meeting on your day off?
This one is a bit more tricky see if DH goes to a 4 day week it means I can go back to work p/t because we can share the school run. DH couldn't drive into a meeting on that day however he could do VOIP attendance between 9 and 3pm.

I'd really appreciate any help - DH would like to drop down in hours but is convinced that a) the would turn him down and b) it would mean losing his job even to have asked. I pointed out that if he asks for flexibile working because he has a 4 yr old son and they refuse and then make him redudant he's got a pretty good HR claim but I don't know if I'm right.

[insywinsyspider]

we have a form in our company - these are the questions I had to answer

What are the reasons for asking for flexible working request? (please inculde as much information as possible we need to understand why this important to you)

Thinking about your current workload and objectives - how will the proposal affect your ability to deliver on these objectives?

How will the company benefit from you flexible working?

What potential problems could the flexible working request raise with
a) People (internal or external) that you provide a service to?
how would you get round these problems?
b) The people you work with? how would you get round this?
c)Your line manager? how would you get round this?

How do you and your manager currently measure your performance?
What measures are suitable for your flexible working arrangement?
How should you and your manager review if the flexible working is working for you and the company?
What would be one or more of the early warning signs that the arrangement wasn't working?

hth

[TheGoddessBlossom]

I work Mon to Thurs in an IT Services Sales job. Because it's sales I do end up taking calls, answering/collecting email but it's in my interests if it helps a sale along. I love having Friday's with my kids as they are both pre-school and it's precious time. We can take off anywhere we like. And blackberry's make it all possible, annoying as they are.

I did start this job with that set as my working week though and haven't had to negotiate it down from a 5 day week...

Good luck.

[tattifer]

I guess it depends completly on the sort of organisation you work for. I negotiated two weeks out of a rolling four week shift to be four day weeks where I work 10hour days. No change in salary but an extra day off in the week to spend with the kids.

[wobbegong]

My DH negotiated a four day week when I went back from maternity leave. It is one of the best things he has ever done in his life, it has completely transformed things for both of us. He has such a great relationship with DD and is a much more chilled out person. It also makes things so much better for me working PT as one day a week I can travel or work long hours without panicking about getting back for CM pick-up.

His company were surprised when he asked, and hummed and hawwed a lot about it, despite their equal opps policies etc. They said yes and then no and then yes eventually, farted around about what day he could take off, and then only allowed it as a three month trial. He had to answer lots of questions about being contactable on his non-work day, planning leave, who would do the work, and he had to be careful not to hack off other colleagues who might get landed with the work. Of course in reality now he works his arse off in four really long days a week, so the work gets covered, and often he logs on from home on the "non-work" day (your 12-1 idea wouldn't cut it with them, frankly, but happily neither side seems to take the piss), so they are getting the hours but he is still officially off one day a week. They are quids in frankly, and quickly saw this and made it permanant at the end of the trial period.

I would really encourage your DH to risk asking. Who on their death-bed wishes they had spent more time at work?

[halia]

wobbegong - me having one day of not worrying about school run is one reason for asking. I've been looking at a job which is 20 hrs to be arranged over 3-4 days if DH could go to 4 days that would mean I could work 2 short days (to get back for 5pm after school club pick up) and one longer day.

He would log on fairly ofen on his day off if I know DH - but I think its better to make it plain that it is a day off so they don't expect constant online prescence, otherwise it would be a nasty shock during school holidays!

The biggest hurdle I can see is that his job is pretty much 50% meetings and they can take place at any time. EG he had to work late on friday because a meeting got slotted in and it was the only time SMT could make it. They are likely to say if he isn't available one day of the week then he can't attend meetings and so he can't do his job.
I disagree with this cos people frequently can't attend meetings for lots of reasons and if they know he isn't there on X day then surely they can plan around that.

Second biggest hurdle, he is already streched to the limit - if he cut his hours someone would have to pick up the slack. Given that all his colleagues are working 60-90 hr weeks I'd employ someone else as there's obviuosly work for them but I doubt the company will see it that way.

Ah well, flexible working will have to remain a distant dream. It'll probably become possible when DS has left home and its no longer a priority.