To be annoyed that my employer won’t let me go part time?

Ok so can you do another flexible working request like compressed hours to 3.5 days but same total hours and pay, or working from home

Annoying but it’s not on your employer to facilitate your personal arrangements if it doesn’t suit the business.

Have you explained to them why you need to go down to 2 days a week? Maybe if you explained the reason they would be sympathetic and consider your request. It has to ofcourse be a valid reason.

Oh yikes OP I really wouldn’t be making a big thing of saying you can do a 5 day a week job on 2 days!! It sounds like maybe you’re subconsciously wanting them to make you redundant!

So you just handed them the reason why your job doesn't need to exist as it is, the perfect excuse to get you to resign, and then replace you for the two days a week that is all that is needed????

Well done...

@Topoftheroof did you make a formal flexible working request and if so, which of the 8 reasons did they give for rejecting it?

Funny that. Maybe that’s your answer. Employers don’t want people who only want to work two days a week.

And it’s a remarkable admission to say that you could do your job in two days when they’ve been paying you for five.

You say you can do your whole job in 2 days? Who will take your calls, requests and messages in the 3 days you’re not there? Will customers/colleagues just have to wait?

if you keep asserting that your job can be done in 2 days, they would be well within their rights if they agreed it then not allow you to go back full time

keep that in mind if you are pushing, why would they pay you for 5 days work when it can be done in 2

Most employers will consider a year or 2 as a permanent change though, 6 months would be more likely accepted as a temporary change.

OP, I'm sorry that you're clearly in a difficult position in terms of balancing work and care responsibilities.

But I don't think you're being reasonable about the impact that a department head with line manager responsibilities reducing to 2 days would have on the business and others. Availability, oversight and the ability to respond to needs in a timely manner are important parts of almost all management roles. It's not fair to everyone in your department to have a director or line manager with such limited availability, and it will likely affect the ability of the department to function when every problem or decision that need director involvement has to wait multiple days. Being able to cram all the time you spend actively performing tasks into 2 days ( I agree with others that you should not say this to your employer) is absolutely not the same as all of the tasks you perform being able to wait for the two days per week you work without it negatively impacting function and those who work with you. And while 1-2 years may technically be classified as temporary, you are not making a short-term request here.

They absolutely should not deny you the opportunity to apply for any part-time positions, but it's also not reasonable to expect them to invent a position they don't have need of for you. Talk to them about other accommodations they could make in terms of schedule and see if there's something that will work on both sides.

She has done,they refused to

OP would you consider asking if they could turn your job into a job share? So you go down to 2 days (and take the relevant pay cut) and someone covers the job for the other 3 days? I’ve worked at places, even pre-covid when flexible working wasn’t so supported, that changed a FT role into a job share.

I am generally onboard with flexi requests and do believe they are great but you are putting yourself in hot water here.

I told my employer I didn't have enough workload to fill my hours, I was filling my hours working for other teams who really needed the extra support and I could have been utilised permanently there. I had the experience and skills required plus I wanted and asked for more work. They seemed onboard.

I was made redundant instead.

Telling your employer you can do your job at 40% compared to the current 100% is a red flag to a bull.
If you ask for further meetings to push this further you may well find yourself looking for another job without choice. And from the sounds of things your circumstances don't need the added stress.

You need to look for a stop gap job like retail where there's several people doing the same role. I appreciate they could of offered you a demotion but that is a HR nightmare and it's a lot of hassle for them for no business gain.

Are you proposing your colleagues/team add 3 days of work to their workloads?

They have to be considered to, I would be pretty annoyed if I had to magicically do someone else's work whilst they go part time. Work that would be above my pay grade if its your reporting team being asked to cover it.