Opinions on a 9 day fortnight

[cwtchesandprosecco]

The TLDR: Do you think a nine-day fortnight makes someone look less committed than someone who works full time?

I’ve been toying with the idea of asking for a nine-day fortnight for a while. My role means that I basically already do the required ‘extra hours’, but still work the 10th day anyway. My organisation does have a big thing about flexible working/ wellbeing/ alternative working patterns so I think actually getting it approved wouldn’t be an issue. I’m more worried about the perception that comes with it.

I’m really tempted to request it, but can’t shake the worry that I’ll be thought of as less committed or available. I’m really ambitious and want to progress in my career, and know that it’s a (relatively) small world so I don’t want anyone to think that of me. I think part of my reservation is that most people I know who do this have children, and it’s therefore seen as somehow more legitimate (I know that shouldn’t be the case.) I don’t think I’d do anything particularly amazing with my extra 2 days a month but I think it would help with my mental health to have a few days where I don’t have to be on constant teams calls, and I have the house to myself because everyone else is at work!

Really grateful for any thoughts. Does anyone else work a nine-day fortnight?

Thanks!

I did a 9 day fortnight for a year but it didn’t work for me. I found that it was too hard for people to remember my day off so I often ended up working that day and not getting paid for it. I definitely felt there was a negative perception of my work ethic when I told people it was my day off. It will depend very much on the culture in your organisation but it certainly didn’t work in mine.

I’ve just started doing this (every other Monday) for the second time (different employers) for basically the same reasons in your OP.

And because everyone above me works part time/4 days weeks so I wanted them to have to work around me sometimes.

It works really well. My Out of Office message is clear that I will only respond to emails I have to on return (and I do) and that others should be contacted otherwise. And people do, in the main