Working part time but feel like I am expected to do a full time job.

[user938572]

I have recently come back off maternity leave. I asked when I returned for my hours to be reduced to 3 days/job share. The department I work in has actually increased in size/workload so they have hired another person doing the same role as me full time. I was initially told my jobs is a full time job (I agree it is but hoped for a job share or thought the new person would be able to help.)
I then inquired if there was any roles within other departments that could be part time. In the conversation I did say it is not financial viable me working full time/nor do I want to and that if I had to come back full time I would look for another job. I wasn't rude I have a good relationship with them I was just trying to be clear on my position.

Suddenly they could reduce my hours and I thought they might have hired someone else to cover the rest of the days. I have now been back 6 weeks and the workload is ridiculous. I have realised they still want me to do the role but in 3 days. This was made clear last week in a meeting when discussing a new project with clients. Me and my full time colleague are getting the same amount of clients .

I recently spoke to my manager about the workload. She was all lovely saying how well I am doing and just reminded me I can only do what I can in 3 days. But it felt meaningless she offered no solutions and I know they would soon be on my back if I miss deadlines.

Not even sure what I am asking I think I just want a moan. Am I wrong to assume my workload would decrease? I feel I should have pushed more on other roles. I would even have took a lesser paid role.

I've seen this happen so many times. I went back to teaching 3 days per week and I was doing 19 hours when my full time friend was doing 21 hours.

You need to show your manager your workload v your colleague's workload - yours should be 3/5ths of hers.

Of course you're not wrong in assuming your workload will decrease. However if your company has little experience in staff working p/t, you will need to guide them through what is realistic and what not. If there are others working p/t would it be worth contacting them and asking how they managed the transition?

Time for some frank talking with your boss and no assumptions - so
you can't take on the same no of clients as a f/t colleague - tell your boss which clients you think you can cover on 3 days, with how any queries etc from them on days you're not there can be handled.

Don't fall into the trap of working part time in a full time role, being paid part time salary. Be proactive here

Could you break it down in terms of time and ask them which things they want you to prioritise? All in writing of course, in case you need it later.

Find a professional way to say I am working part time hours with salary reduced accordingly, you cannot expect me to do a full time job.

Thanks everyone definitely agree I need to have some frank conversations. I get the feeling when I mentioned looking at other roles (we do have quite a few part time roles within but they are all less well paid.) They probably thought this would not look good.

It's discrimination to be treated in a less favourable way because you are part time.
Giving you the same amount of cases, expecting 5 days work done in 3 days, is discrimination.
Ask them - I've been given a full time amount of cases, who is looking after my cases on days X & Y?
You have to speak up for yourself or you are allowing yourself to be treated badly.

The other thing to bear in mind is that there are probably bits of the job which take the same amount of time whether you are full or par time, so the impact on part time jobs is greater - things like managing staff, mandatory, training, etc. I had a friend whose manager did the right thing in cutting her workload when he went part time, but she still ended yup struggling because a big bit of the role was staff management, and so her 3 day week was not 3/5 of the time on the "core work" that a full time person would do.

when you're given new tasks/client, do you have the option to say "no, I already have too many for the 3 days I work"?

I used to get a bit overloaded at work when I was p/t but in my line of work we have a lot of control over our own workloads so I was able to say no to what I considered too much. I realise not all places are like that, but don't be afraid to take the option if it's there. It sounds a bit like that's what your boss is expecting?

This happens a lot.

Employee says "Can I drop to 3 days instead of five."

Manager says "yes."

Meeting ends.

Employee thinks, "Great, manager will reduce my workload by 2/5 so I can work three days a week from now on."

Manager thinks,"Great, Employee is going to do the same job she has always done over 3 days, and I only have to pay her for 3 days, now I have an extra 2 days a week in my budget!"