What are your non-negotiables in relation to work?

[flashbac]

Mine are:
No commute longer than 30 minutes.
Not more than 40% of time in the office.
I will only work for a values driven employer.
No salary on Job advert? Employer can do one!
Flexible hours are a must.

No nightmare colleagues, it's just not worth it
Fully WFH these days
Flexible working

I'm not able to work. I don't think the type of thing I could cope with doing exists.
It would need to be very quiet and slow paced.
But not feel like I was doing nothing.
No manual labour or travel.
No management of others.
No micromanaging from bosses.
No intense KPIs/targets.
Pays at least £30 ph.
No requirement for any educational qualifications or vocational training (unless on the job training)
Ideally work from an office 5 mins away from my house, in a small room on my own with a lockable door and a window. Bosses not physically visible during working day.
Can choose each day how many hours I work and when, as long as work is completed.
Every month I'd be invited to a nice meal and drinks with colleagues, but not compulsory and paid for my time during the event.

So...as you can imagine I'm flooded with job offers on a daily basis due to my incredibly flexible nature. Lol.

I like hybrid, but only coming in for colleagues actually in the same office.
Nice boss is important.
Not being expected to regularly work over my contracted hours.
Decent holidays, more than 25 days per year ideally.

I will only work for a values driven employer

What does that mean?

Working from home, Flexible employer, good workplace culture. I get paid less but 🤷

WFH or 1 day in office max.
Not a sales or intense target driven role (been there)
Inclusive, diverse culture
30 days hol min
Hours flexibility
Casual dress code
Great leadership
Smart and friendly boss
Decent pay and benefits for my experience but I don't prioritise pay over the rest.

No more than two days a week in office
Sensible, clever, nice boss
Interesting work

I am really lucky, because I do have the above.

Full time in the office, some flexibility with timings.

I work in tech, in start-ups.
I want:

• Remote first
• Dog-friendly office if I'm expected to go (and not more than once a week)
• A LOT of autonomy
• A product I believe in

What I'm flexible on:
The salary. I'm happy to be paid less if I have all of the above. I could earn probs £30-40k more in a bigger company but the idea of internal politics, all-hands, leadership team meetings and away days make me shudder.

Oh yes. No less than 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays.

Autonomy in the role.
Bosses who value my opinion and expertise.
Pleasant, friendly colleagues.
Regular pay rises.
Getting paid on time (was self-employed for a while and a monthly payslip is a joy).
No more than 30 minutes away.
Flexibility on hours and being able to book annual leave when I want.
A supermarket somewhere along the commute home.

I am very lucky and have all of those right now.

Clear company or brand values that leads to a shared purpose I believe in
Employee wellbeing committee with power and management buy in eg culture of not working over hours
Wfh occasional planned office days together

Salary isn't as important anymore. I suppose ultimately I want to feel respected, valued and professionally engaged.

Manage my own diary
WFH 80% of the month
No micromanagement

No commute longer than 30 minutes.
Not more than 40% of time in the office.
I will only work for a values driven employer.
No salary on Job advert? Employer can do one!
Flexible hours are a must.

Wow I'm quite shocked at all that!

I've never had a commute under 30 mins. Or under 45.

Even peak CV had to be in 2 days a week. I'd prefer an office where everyone's in all week with just occasional WFH for specific tasks/needs.
Almost all my ex employers have treated me badly in the end even if they have nicey nicey policies.

I agree with the no salary on ad. I've never applied for one of those. I'd not have a clue!

I think some flexi time is ok eg core hours/ TOIL but if it's 100% flexible slackers (all offices have them) take the poss so the hard workers end up doing more. I'd not be happy with that.

I really don't like what's happened to work culture in recent years.

It's not good.

The only two must haves for me are working for someone I respect and getting paid a decent salary.

Fully wfh, it’s basically my only none negotiable

I think what's happened is people have got sick of putting everything they have into jobs they can't pay their bills with and they're sick of it. People are looking for other "wins" because if no jobs can pay the bills then you might as well find one where you can wfh or aren't micromanaged or whatever.

Wow, I'm still always surprised to hear how many people regard WFH as non-negotiable (because in my job there is no WFH).

My non-negotiable (these days) is to work in a school with pretty much no behaviour problems. I've found one and, if I can help it, I won't leave until I retire!

I've just given up a well paid job due to the following:

1. Huge amounts of enforced overtime (without actually being paid for it!)
2. Unreliable, non-knowledgeable line managers which made me feel unsafe (I work in a high risk industry)
3. Workload of 3 people
4. No wfh opportunity
5. Ruthless cost cutting so no resources. Projects being done unsafely on a shoestring.
6. Some workstreams outside my skill set/qualifications where I have had to make difficult decisions as a senior that I probably shouldn't have been the senior!
7. Long commute

I've taken the leap to a new job which Im starting next week:

1. Fully wfh if wanted or office - it's up to me! Office is walkable.
2. No on calls/enforced overtime
3. Lovely knowledgeable team - where I'm now the junior!
4. Workload approx 1/10th of what I currently manage.

Sounds ideal! Did you have to take a big paycut?

• Hybrid working
• reasonable flexibility on hours
• minimum 30 days (fte) annual leave plus Bank Holiday
• defined benefit pension scheme

Yes, unfortunately but it's do-able. I have another passive income which helps. However quality of life/ work life balance is the major pull for me - more than my previous big salary.

No micromanaging.

I've worked well independently at all levels in various companies. I won't be told what to do on a daily basis.

No long hours culture.

I didn't stand for it as a company director and I won't apply for jobs like that.

In my next role, the key element will be not managing other people. I have done my bit on that over the years and am ready to pass that baton onto others. With that in mind, I would also want some days WFH each week.

I own a small company and this is so useful to know! A lot we do, but some new ideas.