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Original poster

Can you work from home but also choose the hours you work day to day?

52 replies

Hairymcclarytoes · 02/10/2023 22:37

Before i start looking for the job I have in my head, I want to check it actually exists.
I'm after a work from home job that is flexible with when the work is done, e.g as long as I put in 7 hours that day, could be the morning or evening.
Children are teens so it's not a childcare thing, but it'll nice to have the flexibility if needed to drop of/pick up from clubs etc...

OP posts:

Tailfeather · 02/10/2023 22:39

As an employer I'd be happy with that as long as it's a role that can be done that way (eg bookkeeping as opposed to a customer service role).

MatthewsMumFromTikTok · 02/10/2023 22:39

What is it you do?

What kind of work?

Marchmount · 02/10/2023 22:41

What skills and work experience do you have? Many employers will only offer that kind of flexibility if the candidate is exceptional/ worth it to them as most roles involve some liaison/ meetings with other people.

Catgotyourbrain · 02/10/2023 22:46

It IS possible. I work for a large corporation and they are great with this. I don’t check in or out and I work flexibly.

I was pleasantly surprised when I started in the spring. Hybrid working and the office has been refurbed to be a really flexible versatile place for us to be in a couple of days a week. They know how to encourage us to come in when it matters - great food, bean-to-cup coffee, showers, etc.

it’s not the only company like this- but it does have skin on the game as it needs to set a great example because of the business sector

i haven’t noticed any slackers, and tbh if I took the piss it would certainly show in my work. We speak and communicate in many ways in our team all the time. I took a DC to an appointment today and line manager was fine. Trust.

I’ve had a career break and my kids are a bit older - but no other job has been so on board with life and work balance

Original poster

Hairymcclarytoes · 03/10/2023 06:17

I'm am teacher who needs to step away from the classroom. It's tricky as teachers have lots of transferable skills but it's hard to move from education to the wide list of other jobs out there, not quite sure where to start.
I'm happy to go for a variety if roles but I thought flexible work hours might be the step I need right now if a job like that existed. Hopefully fate will come my way and I'll spot the job of my dreams.
Just to be nosy and to help me on my job hunt, where did you find your jobs advertised. I feel I know 'indeed' but not much more than that.

OP posts:

Stripeypyjamas · 03/10/2023 06:21

You need LinkedIn for jobs. It's the only way I've seen people move jobs recently.

I do work flexibly at home but it tends to actually mean working all the time. I'd rather have set hours sometimes.

lemonyellows · 03/10/2023 06:23

Are you still interested in the education sector? Might be worth checking out your local council. Most work flexibly as you describe so look up roles there

Wantingathird · 03/10/2023 06:35

I work part time for a charity on this arrangement, as long as I get the work done I can do the hours whenever and wherever I like and can vary it week by week. It's great.

Original poster

Hairymcclarytoes · 03/10/2023 06:37

Thank you everyone for the answers so far, they are really helpful for getting me started.

OP posts:

Ilikewinter · 03/10/2023 06:40

I work in the civil service - hybrid, 2 days in the office and we can work between 6.30am and 7.00pm. Everyone has to work the core hours 10.30-2.30pm, not sure if that provides the level of flexibility you're after?

CantFindTheBeat · 03/10/2023 06:42

Technology companies are often great for this (depending on projects & roles).

If you have an education background, it's worth looking at companies who specialise in EdTech - education technology.

You might have experience that's relevant and transferable to them.

WeWereInParis · 03/10/2023 06:44

Broadly speaking, yes. We do have to go in to the office at least twice a week. But we have flexibility day to day so we can do whatever hours work best for us on a particular day. We're expected to work with our team, so if there's a meeting to attend we can't just say "oh sorry, I'm not working those hours today". But for our own work, we can do that when we like.

I work in financial services.

Sparehair · 03/10/2023 06:46

I used to do this ( albeit office based). I did 3 days over 4 or 5. A couple of considerations- depending on the role it may not always be possible to work your preferred hours- if you have clients and they want calls at certain times you’ll have to accommodate them. If you’re the client then it’s easiest to have them when you want. Similarly if you have teams working over multiple timezones it may not be possible for you to say you don’t work between 8-10 if you need to line up with Asia. Basically how much flex you get in reality will depend a lot on your exact role, the structure of the company etc.

Trainstrike · 03/10/2023 06:47

There's a Facebook page called Work From Home Hub UK which collates a load of home/hybrid jobs.They recently had remote teaching positions on there actually, but I think they were reflective of usual teaching hours.

Elpheba · 03/10/2023 06:50

Civil service here too, only a few months in having left education. 40-60% in office and officially our core hours are 10-12 and 2-4 (unless you’re agreed hours finish before 4 which mine are). But my DC was ill last week so I worked from home in the morning and my manager had said stop whenever or work from home with them, up to you. So I stopped at lunchtime. All just recorded on my flexitime sheet. It is a REVELATION after education. They’d have been dosed up and sent in with all my previous jobs.

ActDottie · 03/10/2023 06:54

My work would allow this. But it depends entirely on the nature of the role. My work isn’t that deadline focussed and more long term projects.

eastiseastwestiswest · 03/10/2023 06:56

I can within reason...but if I'm honest I normally work a 9-5 because that's the time my clients are also online so it causes stress for me to be out and about doing other things wondering if someone has emailed me.

If you're changing career you might be limited in the sorts of things you can do that has that amount of flexibility.
I'm quite senior in a professional role which makes it easier to be flexible. Some ideas: PA or EA, administration.

ErnestCelendine · 03/10/2023 06:58

Lots of charities offer this kind of working. With your background, it might be worth looking at education ones like Teach First.

PermanentTemporary · 03/10/2023 07:01

Online tutoring might be like this, but i think it quickly gets busy if you're good. Not sure how reliable the income is at the moment due to cost of living.

CapEBarra · 03/10/2023 07:03

I’m an academic and apart from delivering lectures face to face and attending (mostly online) meetings the work can be done flexibly and I appreciate that, BUT (and this is a big BUT) I regularly put in way more than the 37 hours - it’s usually more like 45-50. I do also get a good annual leave allowance but TBH I struggle to take that, and even when I do I often work for an hour or two a day. It’s a similar story amongst my colleagues - nature of the beast, I guess.

Singleandproud · 03/10/2023 07:04

I left teaching at Christmas.
I work for a government arms length body but conditions are basically the same as civil service, I have met lots of ex-teachers since joining.
Business needs allowing, I can work anytime between 7am-7pm, start as late as 10am, up to 2 hours for lunch between 12-2pm, can leave to do the school run etc providing its in my calendar so meetings aren't booked in.

WitchyFingers · 03/10/2023 07:12

I work in admin (stuff to do with medical records) for the local hospital. Fully home based. I have to work 7.5 hours per day and when i start is up.to.me. i like to be finished by the time the kids get home so usually start at about 7 or 7.30 ( usually in my pjs!)

I can pop out when I want and as I don't have many meetings( about 1 or 2 a month) it's very flexible.

Only a band 5 though so the money isn't great! But the pension is good and the flexibility is worth it.

Oneeva · 03/10/2023 07:17

I work for a local authority who have this working arrangement and even better. Work is based on output not time and can work anytime anyplace anywhere. I’m not a morning person, but I’m quite quick and efficient, so I typically finish my work within 5 hours or so. We also have a work from abroad policy for up to a month a year. This kind of work pattern might work for you, as mostly virtual meetings and only in the office on a needs/ preference basis.

Gemstonebeach · 03/10/2023 07:22

I work in comms. If you don’t have to deal with any media as part of your job you can generally work like this. But at times you might have to be available at certain hours, for a big stakeholder meeting etc, but you would know this in advance.

Gemstonebeach · 03/10/2023 07:23

lots of good transferable skills from teaching to comms as a lot of it is turning words into plain English that the general public can understand.

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