Working part time and actually working partime

[Icefoot]

I have a fairly senior job 3 days pw. Salary for my 3 days is £50k to give context re expectations.

The job was advertised as 3 days pw, a decision made mostly for budgetary reasons, my predecessor was full time, although a junior has been appointed to take some of the work load.

I am finding that the volume of work is perfectly manageable within 3 days but the expectations re availability are not. For the last 3 weeks I have changed my days to accommodate important meetings, which I'm happy to do with enough notice. Yesterday at 4pm I was asked to do a meeting at 2pm today, which I've said no to. It's a non working day and I have plans.

This morning I have numerous paniced texts about how urgent it is to get this arranged. It is, I've been trying to get a date set for about 6 weeks, but no one else saw it as urgent until something happened yesterday.

I'm not due back in work until Tues, so I've said that's the next say i can do and whilst no one has actually insisted, they don't like it.

AIBU to try and protect my part time hours, even though it's a well paid job? The PT working wasn't for my convenience (although it does suit me), they chose to appoint PT. I'm happy to be flexible where I can for things that are unavoidable, but I don't want it eating into my non working days on a regular basis - if it does that I may as well work FT

Do you leave the ooo on all the time,so every message is told about your non working day? I can't work out how to set it up so it's automatic, without setting it every week.

You're enabling the problem.

I also work part time but four full days a week. No way would I consider working on my non-working day.

For context, I work in finance and earn more than you.

As others have said, stand your ground.
It seems that some employers do this to save themselves money and then try and exploit their workers 🤔

I found similar when taking a three day job that had previously been five. The first thing I addressed was the volume and timing of meetings. I cleared one whole day a week to be meeting free for me except in emergencies. I also reduced the number of meetings I was required to attend. In order to manage the flex required - also senior role - we agreed two additional days per month that were paid at my full rate and taken flexibly as required by mutual agreement to meet the needs of the role and workflow bottlenecks. Theses could be carried over, taken together, taken as half days etc but paid every month - so effectively 3.5 day week. Worked really well and solved any feelings of resentment on both sides. Mutual agreement and forward planning were key as I had childcare to arrange.

Yes I was thinking of suggesting 7 days a fortnight to allow flexibility without "cancelling" normal working days. I still don't want to be expected to fitting last minute meetings on my non working days though and if I'm getting paid for flexibly days, the expectation may be even higher?

I guess it depends on what you do and how far up the ladder you are. As a director you can put your foot down more than if you're a functional manager. As an EA trying to manage project teams calendars to get everyone on a Teams call, never mind in person, at short notice is nigh on impossible. Between p/t, school runs, travel time, different time zones it's a pain.

Contractors' requirements depend on their T&C's; if they're required to be flexible that'll be the expectation.

I would speak to your line manager if you have one, or discuss with your senior team members if you don't, so you're all on the same page.

I think the 7 day fortnight would just perpetuate the problem.

The company is used to having someone full time, and the day switching means that they are still used to having you available full time.

If you keep to the same 3 days per week, eventually that pattern becomes the new normal. People stop asking you about meetings on, say, a Friday. The possibility no longer even enters their head (well, no guarantees about problematic board member in another time zone).

I agree with PP that 7 day fortnight will perpetuate the problem. Whilst it's good to be flexible it really doesn't sound like it's going to work in your workplace as it's not the occasional urgent meeting, it's becoming a habit.
You need to stick with your days and they will eventually get used to it.

I've worked 3 days a week for years. In the early days I couldn't change days due to childcare so I just had to respond sorry I don't work Thursdays. And repeat. Every single time.
In more recent years I could have flexibility but actually I don't need to as the pattern is established.

They chose to make this job part-time over 3 days but they seem to be looking for full time availability! Most of us who work part time would never take a job where the employer was looking for that level of availability

Have your days of work in your email signature, on your voicemail and put on an out of office every week. That all helps to continually reinforce your working days.

I think you need to speak to HR and explain that if they want you to be available full-time then they need to pay you for it, otherwise they need to pay attention to their calendars before booking you for meetings on your unavailable days. It’s ridiculous. Your days off are not theirs to play with.

Stop changing your days. They should be fixed and then expectations are crystal clear for all.

My place took on 2 senior roles as PT, a Director 3 days and Head of 4 days. Director handed her notice in after 12 months of never getting her NWDs free of fires. Head of has just followed suit.

I'm a manager on 4 days and my NWD is fixed, the only time I work on that day is pre arranged out of hours work (i.e. early morning or late evening, I work in IT so this is expected). I've opened my email or done some work on NWD maybe 5 times in the last 12 months.

It sounds like you have one particular stakeholder who is causing the problem due to being in a different time zone and not sufficiently able to prioritise his own workload, leading to his lack of planning constituting your emergency. He needs managing, board or not.

My DH now works 4 day week, very senior roll. It started as a temp thing to facilitate me doing a course and now 2 years later he just doesn't work Fridays, ever. As a result many of the usual end of week meetings started to be reviewed for their purpose and usefulness. The company soon got used to his hours & he's so much more relaxed now. Just keep reminding everyone what days you don't work and keep to it.

I’m in exactly the same position. I put my OOO on at the end of the working day when it’s a NWD the next day. It says ‘my working hours are 9-4pm Mon, Tues and Thurs. I will respond to any emails on my return. For anything urgent please contact xx’ (with xx being our teams shared mailbox).

I still end up doing work on my NWDs. I’m not so senior that meetings are arranged around my availability, but not so junior that it doesn’t matter if I don’t attend! I’ve built up so much time in lieu that I could take a couple of weeks off, but it’s just not feasible to take that all.

Im I'm a similar position. I flex when I can and when I want to but a no is a no.

I've spent years bending my life around work and now it's payback time. They never really appreciate it, and in the example you've give n it's a clear case of 'your inability to organise yourself is not my problem to solve'. If you bail them out they will continue to take the piss.

Stay strong on this one and be clear and talk (often) when in the office about how you changed your plans x times in the last month to be flexible. You need to show that you are playing the game.

@Icefoot when I worked 3 days I did Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

I worked late on a Friday for a number of reasons. It was frequently the quietest day because it’s the one most people take as an odd day, WFH or finish early etc. I was more productive because I wasn’t constantly being interrupted. After 3-4pm emails dried up and I could get ahead or focus on a key task.

On a Monday I would start work knowing I didn’t have to catch up and could get straight on with my work. it actually meant I could be a step ahead.

Wednesday meant it was only ever one day before I was back in the office. It was also great after a BH as 1 days leave meant I left on a Friday and wasn’t back in until the Thursday.

I know this pattern will not work for everyone but, whilst I hate presenteeism it made me look or appear more present.