To think my flexible working request will not unreasonable?

You need to find another job.

Your colleagues will become resentful at your level on entitlement given they're handed work you've been unable to complete in your working hours. Your manager has flagged it's a problem.

So you are happy for clients to be inconvenienced and colleagues having to pick up extra work.
And having employees who can make unilateral decisions on what is a matter of life or death in relation to deadlines
Please reveal where you work so we can avoid sending our business, or being an employee who has to do everyone else's work

I don't think anyone is being bitchy. People are pointing out that there is a legitimate business reason to refuse OP's proposed request and suggests she rethinks/comes up with other options.

OP has demonstrated by doing a 4 day week that it doesn't work for the business. I don't think that you as a senior manager would approve a flexible working request that would cause delays beyond the normal deadlines for clients?

you say you really like your team but it doesn’t sound like you are paying them much consideration.

I would decline the request as unreasonable even under the expected flexible working changes. Work being handed off to someone else or being held over to the following week causing on going issues is very unreasonable.

That's a perfectly legitimate business reason to deny.

You don't really seem to care that your actions are impacting the rest of your team? You say the rest of them have small children, are they now working under higher levels of stress because of your 4 day week? It seems rather unfair that they have to deal with that when you go off, and then say "it's hardly life or death"

A one day delay on the tasks I pick up isn’t the end of the world. It wouldn’t be the same client each time and most are understanding.

It is if there is a SLA in place. A one-off delay, fine but weekly as routine? I don't think that is acceptable as a provider or a client.

You need to demonstrate that your day off wouldn't affect your colleagues or the business - and from what you said, it affects both. I think they would be very reasonable to turn down this request.

I have a Wednesday off and it really breaks the week up nicely. Would this work better?

I am all for flexible working for everyone, but would also not be happy if a colleague regularly took on projects that they couldn’t finish and then handed them to me when they were time sensitive. It seems unreasonable for you to brush that off as no big deal.

They don’t need a strong reason. Although it does sound like there is a fairly strong one tbh. Many places just don’t want part timers. It’s wrong but you’re probably not going to win this one.

Can DH not change his work to help a bit more. I guess not, they never can 😂

So a colleague who works 5 days and also has young kids, has to pick up your work because you want a day off each week with your young kid, and you think it's justifiable? Have I got that right?

What you have described seems to me to be unreasonable enough for your request to be refused. You may have better luck requesting a different day if everything comes in on a Thursday and always you have to hand the work over.

I had Thursdays off in previous role for this very reason. Mon- Weds were longer days, and then Fridays were my 'mop up' day where I got everything finished I needed to for the week. Worked well.

@Cobblersorchard But given the ridiculous comments above you’d think you were asking for something completely unreasonable.
She has if she's asking for the Friday. Colleagues to pick up her workload, detrimental affect to business. Pp have suggested alternative day which ops taken on board.

If the work needs completing by the end of the week would requesting a Monday or Wednesday work better?

Honestly, your attitude kind of stinks - of course it matters that tasks are delayed regularly or that you're constantly handing work over to your colleagues.

Your argument that it happens when people are sick or on holiday is irrelevant as those things will still happen with you working a four day week anyway.

You also don't have any legal right as a parent to work flexible hours - you have the right to ask (as does everyone else) but your employer doesn't have to agree.

It’s definitely worth asking if they would be happy with another day. I started a new job and asked at the offer stage if I could do 4 days. They said yes specifically because I asked for a Wednesday off, as it’s midweek and makes cover much easier!

The law currently allows employers to refuse for a valid business reason (doesn’t have to be a very strong reasons) without giving any evidence. The new law is expected to only allow refusal where is the arrangements are unfeasible and the burden of proof will be on the employee to prove why this is not feasible. It will be a pretty major change to employee rights and all large companies are busy preparing and worrying about this believe me!!

Sounds like if you requested a different day off it might be different. Everyone would love a 3 day weekend every week, but there's good business reasons why that doesn't work. Would that also block colleagues from being able to take holiday on Fridays because of headcount?

Request a Wednesday instead, then you'll have thurs and Friday to finish your projects causing no delays for clients. I work flexi part time and i take Wednesdays or Thursdays off - works very well for all concerned but Fridays wouldn't.

It's a perfectly good reason to deny it. Just because you want it doesn't mean it fits their business. Either cut your days to part time and job share so the hours are still covered, or look for another job which doesn't have time sensitive tasks that you'll keep delaying.

I think saying you’ll be flexible with them on what day of the week is chosen would be your best option to getting them to agree. Clearly Friday isn’t working for them - you’ve proved it!

Seems like from above that Wednesday would potentially have the least business impact?

I think we’d all prefer a Friday (or a Monday) off, but your employer is not obligated to give it to you!

It's interesting that you frame it as people being bitchy. I don't think that's it at all.

I have worked very flexibly myself for years, and have always supported flexible working within my team, but it isn't in the slightest bit bitchy to point out that an employer is perfectly within their rights to decline a flexible working request if the proposed pattern puts pressure on other colleagues and/or delays time sensitive work being completed for clients. That's just a reflection of the law as it stands...employers can refuse requests if there are clear business reasons for doing so.

Can you afford to work part-time?

In which case you could make a request to drop your hours to working 3 days a week and get a jobsharer to cover the rest of the week.

If not I would start looking for other jobs as it does not sound like they are going to approve your request.

That’s always the best thing to do. Chat and see if something else would work.

Sometimes flexible working requires the employee to compromise too.

AIBU thinking the above is not a good enough reason for them to refuse this as a legal right as a parent.

YABU-that is a solid read on for them to refuse. Remember it’s your legal right to ask, not to get.

Fridays are tricky because someone being off permanently means it's harder to approve annual leave etc for others (and Mondays and Fridays are invariably the most popular days). It also means if anything comes in that needs sorting it's in limbo over the weekend. Would they consider another day? But yes, they can refuse they just have to demonstrate they have considered it; if you counter it be mindful to not downplay your work and that it's not that important.