Compressing hours at work

[User24692]

I’m due to go back to work when DS turns 1 next year. I cannot afford to go part time and nursery fees are extortionate so I intend on applying for compressed hours (which I will very likely get as it tends to be the norm at my workplace when parents return following parental leave).

Our work week is reducing from 37 to 35 hours later this year, so if my calculations are correct my work days will be 8 hours and 45 minutes (I believe I also need to add a 30 min lunch on top of this).

Anyway, to my question. Should my request be accepted, I can’t decide which day to take as my non working day. Many parents take a Wednesday off but a Friday off appeals to me.

If you do compressed hours which day do you take off? Which day do you think would be best to take?

Wednesday,

I only do two days before a day off comes around.

If is a bank holiday week, I take the Tuesday as annual leave so it gives me a few days off.

Friday off, you don't miss out on bank holidays and (at least where I work) Fridays are a tiny bit quieter (sometimes) so it doesn't feel like I'm missing a whole days work

I’ve submitted my application for a Friday - for various reasons there are limits on some of the activities we can do at my work on a Friday so feels like less of an imposition to not be there.

I do Monday to Thursday compressed.

Rarely miss anything work wise and when I did work 5 days I rarely got anything done on a Friday as it was difficult to get people to attend meetings etc.

I take Fridays off. Rarely have meetings and not much seems to happen, so I don't ever feel like I miss anything important. I think I'd feel like more of a part timer taking off another day.

Think about what days any friends are off too. I have a few people I can meet up with on a Friday, which is lovely.

Thank you, seems Fridays are popular! A lot of my friends with children are off on Wednesdays. Decisions decisions!

I've done several variations over the years. Personally I found Wednesdays best.