If you dropped your hours post-DC, tell me about how it works for you?

[Bubbinsmakesthree]

After mat leave I went back to the same middle-management job, dropping from 5 days to 4 days a week. At the time I didn’t have much of a discussion with my manager about how it would work, I was just grateful to be granted the opportunity.

Since then I feel like i’m still doing the exact same job but trying to squeeze it in to 4 days ( spilling over into evenings, weekends and my so-called “day off”) - but getting paid 20% less for the privilege.

Anyone managed to make this work without feeling like they’re being screwed over? Tell me where I am going wrong!

That’s one of the reasons I haven’t requested a reduction yet, and that’s with fairly well defined daily tasks. Watching with interest.

I work 2.5 days and I genuinely do work part time - slightly more than my paid hours, but 50% less than my colleagues iyswim.

I do not routinely check email when I'm out of the office - I might for a particular reason, if I'm expecting something important, but not on a regular basis.

I also have no problem with saying to colleagues 'I'm not in tomorrow so I'll get back to you on Monday". After all, I am paid less than them!

It sounds like a chat with your manager would also be a good idea.

Ha, yes I hear you. I'm also managerial level and I reduced my hours after DS1 from 5 days to 4 and found I was working every evening, and on my days off. When I went on Mat leave with DS2 I returned with even fewer hours, 2 full days and 2 school hours only. However, in my absence they had learned to cope without me picking up the slack and even hired a new person to work for me. I still do extra work, I check emails in the evening and catch up on admin but it's much better than it was. I see it as give and take - I don't mind doing a bit extra out of work as it gives me the flexibility to be around for the kids more BUT you need to make sure you're not being taken for a ride. I think you need to speak to your manager about your workload and find some things you can delegate to make it more manageable.

One of the things I struggle with in delegation is not wanting the people I manage to end up shouldering the burden of my reduced hours - it’s not fair to expect any more from them than would be expected of them if I worked 5 days.

My other challenge is that the ‘pace’ we work is still 5 days per week. For example we get actions following a meeting to be reported on at the next meeting in a week’s time, but I have 20% less time to deliver on them compared to colleagues on a 5 day week.

I just can’t figure out what ‘gives’ to make it work.

You have 20% less time (I can see how that can't change given the timing of the meeting), but you therefore should be given 20% fewer actions, yes? (Obviously it's not quite that simple, but you see what I mean.)