4 days work means 5 days workload crammed into 4 for 80% of the money

[Effjay]

I went back to work in January after the birth of my second child. I decide to go back for 4 days a week, Mon-Thurs, and am finding that I have the same workload as for full-time. People seem to forget I'm not in on Fridays and I have constantly remind them. I'm thinking of dropping down to three days in the New Year, as then you really are part-time and work can't forget that. Has anyone else experienced this? I have a generally very good employer, so the moan is not about them, but about the general perception of what 4 days work means.

[DrNortherner]

Yep, I am a fellow 4 day a weeker, and I finsih at 3pm yet my workload is teh same as teh woman before me who did full time hours.

Tis madness.

[hatwoman]

very common story. I would suggest drawing up some sort of work-list - regular responsibilities, jobs etc, that you used to do on a 5-day week. break them up into per cent chunks and then open up discussions with your boss about which 20 per cent he wants you to lose. and who is going to do it instead, try to make positive suggestions based on clear facts and you should get somewhere.

[BonsoirAnna]

Yes, this is a really common issue.

FWIW, my DP told me yesterday evening that his Finance Director had asked to go from full time to 80% but that as she was intending to work a bit from home on the fifth day, she wanted to be on 90% pay.

He agreed - and he told me that he would pay her the difference to her 100% in her annual bonus (on top of what she would normally receive) as her workload won't change at all.

[Bumblingbovine]

It really depends on the job itself. I have found that my new 3 day a week job can't be done in that time either.

So far I have worked 8 extra days in the 4 months since I started ( unpaid) and that doesn't include the odd phone call and mornings spent email clearing on my days off so that my office days are bearable.

When I worked 4 days week I found exactly the same as you have. I would work 2-3 Saturdays a month which meant I was practically working full time but only paid PT. It was effectively a flexible working pattern rather than PT and I paid 20% of my salary for the privilige

I had been really hoping that this new job at 3 days a week would be better than my 4 day a week job but it hasn't worked out like that.

T

[BloodshotEyeballs]

Three days here and I am currently doing my full time job load despite the existence of a job share, plus the pt job of a colleague who is off sick. It stinks.

[Clary]

yy I find this too.

I bet if I were full time not 4 days my role would be exactly the same.

In fact when I am off the person who covers me does 5 days doing my job, I must be superwoman

I think you either need to suck it up (as I do - work very flexible about my hours, late starts so I can go to 9am school things etc) or do what hatwoman says and approach yr boss.

[Kiwinyc]

I went back 3 days and have just gone to 4 days. On 3 days a week i couldn't really do my job. On 4 i can but its bleeding into the 5th day because I've got a really busy project at the moment. If that stops when the project is finished, i'll continue. If it becomes permanently like what you describe, i'm going back down to 3 days.

I do however, have flexible hours and work one day at home so i tend to 'take' some hours back on that day if I can.

You do also have to push back more - an employer is not ever going to say 'are you too busy?' you have to say that you're doing 5 days work for 4 days pay and that its unacceptable. I plan to take some days off in lieue (sp) when this project is over.

Good luck.

[rookiemater]

I work 4 days a week as well, the only upside I find over 3 days a week ( which is not an option as my office won't agree it atm) is that you do feel like part of the team in the way you may not if 3 days a week, also if you are career minded , working 4 days a week seems to be viewed as more acceptable than 3 days - probably because from an employers perspective there is the tremendous upside of getting 100% of the job done for 80% of the pay.

Other than that doing 4 days a week sucks, particularly as I have to cram in all the home stuff that has to be done during working hours e.g. doctors appointments etc in that one day and because I'm "part time" DH sees this as a licence to devolve most of the childcare and associated responsibilities to me ( oh disclaimer I'm sure F/T working mums have it harder).

Seriously if you can get 3 days a week then I'd go for it seems to work much better than 4 days if you are p/t.