to feel frustrated ans sidelined at work despite being relatively well paid?

[cherryade8]

I returned from maternity leave a year ago and was excited to have had my part time request approved. Prior to maternity leave I had been very career orientated, worked long hours and overtime as a full timer and had interesting work.

However, since starting my new part time job (same company) I seem to only get given dull, menial work and am given tasks I could have done years ago before I qualified as a professional. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate being part time and that as I only work two and a half days a week I can't be given the big projects etc, but I feel really bored and like I've taken a huge step down. I actually share work with people more junior than me a lot of the time.

Unfortunately its rare to get part time jobs in my industry, so leaving isn't really an option. I'm also relatively well paid which makes me feel guilty for not enjoying it as I know there are many worse off people :-(

[TwinkleSparkleBling]

Blimey OP are you me?

I could have written your post almost word for word (and yours Shelby).

I agree it is so frustrating and on bad days I say unfair too. I have spent years working my arse off, getting promotions and generally going above and beyond. I had, and still do have, a huge sense of professional pride. But it all counts for nothing because I now work part time.

BUT when I get down about it I remind myself it was MY choice to work part time. I am thankful that I am in a position, financially and time wise, that I can spend lots of time with my DC.

It doesn't sit easy with me but if that's the way part time staff are viewed, I will fulfill that role. I take their money, I coast and in a few years when the DC are at school I may look at finding a full time role where I can hopefully pick things up.

I do believe, despite what you may be told, you cannot have it all.

[DontmindifIdo]

Shelby - yes, unfortunatley they can ask you to try to move your antenatal appointments to your non-working days, but if you can't (like consultant appointments) then they need to accept that (and most do).

[Shelby2010]

I can book midwife for when I'm not working, but NHS consultant clinic only runs one day a week so you don't get a choice. Same with scans, you take what you're given!

[fluckered]

well she has a point .. if you are part time book your appointments for when you are not working.

[Shelby2010]

I've had exactly the same experience after returning from maternity leave. I even made an effort to keep up to date whilst off by reading minutes of meeting etc. But now I'm treated as an idiot & the years of experience & wealth of knowledge are ignored. Like the OP I can't complain too much as they are paying me at the same rate as before, but it is frustrating.

My solution- having another baby & another year off! Interestingly my boss has also been much less supportive of pregnancy related problems this time. She even told me that as I was part-time there was no need for any antenatal appointments to be during work hours!

[fluckered]

to be fair your employer wants the company's goals achieved and am sure that involves deadlines. if your part time you cannot be relied on fully to achieve this. its not a personal thing. be thankful for your job and enjoy your little one and please god in the future you can go back full time if that's what you wish. perhaps speak to a supervisor/boss and show enthusiasm for something more challenging that is not hindered by being part time. it can only paint you in a good light.

[Trills]

What have you done to try to get ore interesting work to do?

Is your job of the type where tasks are handed out and you have to do them, with no input into who does what tasks, or opinions on what tasks need doing?

[TimeofChange]

Cherryade: I can see what you are saying, but even if you were full time, presumably you wouldn't be able to work late anyway.

Stick at it and you will be able to go full time sometime in the future.

Meanwhile, enjoy the precious time with your baby.
They do grow up very quickly.

[Harryhairypig]

Why don't you go up to 3 full days. Then you are more than half the working week at work and it's easier to get stuff done and progressed. Most people I know are now back full time because of what you are experiencing. I'm hanging on in cos I hate my job and only doing it part time helps deal with it!

[marriedinwhiteagain]

When I have worked part-time I have felt inadequate and unintegrated at work whilst at the same time have struggled to keep all the ballls in the air at home.

The hardest two years of my life were: 17.5 hours at work - 9.30-2.15. Dropped dc at school, rushed to work, did almost as much as the full timers - rushed home to put on a wash, tumble dry, etc, tidy up, did pick-up(s) sorted after school activities, tea, jobs, homework and sat down at about 9.15.

Full-time: felt justified to sub contact jobs, ie, insides of windows, laundry, oven cleaning, etc and upped cleaners hours; whilst au-pair did the after school stuff. I achieve more at work and came in to a calmer home to spend evenings with the dc.

Part-time - it's a mug's game imvho

[mumofthemonsters808]

Unfortunately this is one of the perils of part time working. Another typical experience is trying to manage a full time work load over 18 hours and having to be supper efficient at prioritising. Your only option really is to go fulltime.

Your post got me thinking about the other disadvantages of working part time: my main bug barer was my boss holding team meetings on my non working days but expecting me to be fully briefed and up to date on the issues discussed. Training and development events being held on my non working days and being expected to still attend. The resentment from full time colleagues who implied I was shirking my responsibilities by only being there on certain days. The list could go on, but overall the best thing about part time work is that it provides a great work-home balance, you really do have the best of both worlds. I'm now a SAHM and bored senseless and will struggle to get back in the workplace after 3 years.

[DontmindifIdo]

Unfortunately, that's one of the downsides of part time working at a professional level. Most woman either accept a lower level of work or bit by bit go back full time (often because they've ended up taking on big projects, so had to work from home on their days off so after a few months just decide they might as well be paid for it and go back full time)

The only ways I've seen it work is as a job share, do you have any other woman at the same level who might be having DC soon, if you could job share then could you take on the bigger level work and hand over to the other one on your days out of the office?

[Curioustiger]

I felt like this in between dd1 and ds2 although I was full time. With the benefit of nearly a year's mat leave to reflect though I can see that some of it was self-imposed eg I didn't take on as much as normal because I was 'settling in', and then pregnant again, I didn't correct people when they assumed I would want the easier role for childcare reasons etc. When I go back this time I am going back s guns blazing. OP have you asked for more stretch roles or just assumed that you won't be given them?

[OwlinaTree]

Sorry it was married that said that!

[OwlinaTree]

Yes I agree with missing complex professional roles don't always mix with part time.

Enjoy your part time and accept this or go full time again.

[marriedinwhiteagain]

Welcome to the world of part-time work. Complex, professional roles just don't translate easily to part time work. You are keeping your hand in and treading water for a few years. Enjoy it and your child.

But I do know what you mean went back p/t when ds was a baby and hated it - felt I did nothing properlyy and work became operational (gave up). Went back 8 years later and started part-time in a different career - at the very bottom - but did almost as much work in 17.5 hours as the full timers.

[missingmumxox]

I think you answered your own question, unless it is a job share it will mean the boring stuff. but in time frame you can commit. sounds lke you employer is being responisble
to you it is boring, but clearly out of the remit of less qualified people and will keep you in the game.
believe me i have been there and slowly creeped up to full time + hours as I could not pack into a day the work I was getting, enjoy it and in a few years get the more interesting stuff