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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Regards part time working!

32 replies

Pigsmummy · 05/09/2013 10:52

I am returning to work very soon after 11 months maternity leave, I work for a major PLC with over 85,000 employees in the UK, many of these work from home (not sure if that's relevant).

I have been told that my role isn't available part time, as it's a single point of contact, customer facing role so I fully accept that and am considering changing roles but staying with the company, however I logged into the HR system and there isn't a single part time or job share vacancy, not one, in any role. That doesn't seem right does it? (there are lots of full time ones).

OP posts:
Tailtwister · 05/09/2013 10:56

Do you know anyone else who is part-time? I found it very hard getting part-time work (I'm a project manager) as I'm in a client facing role. I managed to get 3 days for a couple of years, took a couple of years out and now the best I can get is 4 days although my hours are flexible.

Why not contact HR and see what they can advise? They'll know which roles (if any) can and are being done part-time. Otherwise I'd look at some other companies and see what they can offer.

redskyatnight · 05/09/2013 10:56

Depends on the company.
In companies I've worked in the "norm" is that people work full time, the only part time workers are those who have been there for a long time and have negotiated this. Hence all jobs would be advertised as full time- which doesn't part time workers wouldn't be considered depending on the actual role available.

tywysogesgymraeg · 05/09/2013 10:57

Why does that not seem right?

I work for a medium sized financial institution where there are also lots of part time workers. However the business has realised that this is becoming unworkable, and is now very reluctant to allow part time or flexible working to anyone else - you have to have a bloody good reason for applying. They certainly wouldn't advertise jobs as being part time.

flowery · 05/09/2013 11:04

How many vacancies are actually being advertised in total?

PeterParkerSays · 05/09/2013 11:06

Have you asked HR if any of the full time posts could be done as a job share?

Beastofburden · 05/09/2013 11:29

I think its quite usual to advertise as fulltime but appoint to part time for the right candidate. Can you ask for a career guidance meeting to help you plan your next move within the company?

Snoopingforsoup · 05/09/2013 12:05

I had to leave my career for this situation.

I would put in a call to the ACAS helpline and get some free advice on what your rights are. I was of the belief you are entitled to flexible working if you have dependants.

I'm sure it changed just after I'd left my career.

I think they have to find you a role of the same level if your job is not suitable. I could be wrong but ACAS is a good start.

Good luck.

ilovesooty · 05/09/2013 12:10

You're entitled to apply for part time work if you have young children but the company does not have to grant it. My company accommodates it but it doesn't work well in my project and the operations director is known not to like it.

deXavia · 05/09/2013 12:11

I would use your contacts more than the HR system. As said many jobs will be advertised as FT but may be negotiable for the right person (ie proven track record on delivering) If you've worked for them a while you should know the 'type' of jobs - role, grade, location - that are currently done part time or job share. Do any of these appeal? Are you qualified (over-qualified?)? Use that to help figure out who to approach about either 'official jobs'on the HR tool or potential role not yet on the system

Chrysanthemum5 · 05/09/2013 12:54

I work for a large university, roles are never advertised as part-time, however you can apply and request part-time. Is it worth discussing this with HR?

picniclady · 05/09/2013 13:02

I work for a large company, they rarely advertise part-time. After mat leave I applied for part-time but said I'd be happy to take any role at the same level as part-time(I was aware my full time role wouldn't work on reduced hours).

They accommodated my request and gave me three days a week :-) if you are flexible on role, you may get it?

sparechange · 05/09/2013 13:11

Snoopingforsoup
You are wrong on just about every level there!
Sadly, there is a bit of a myth out there now about employment rights after returning from maternity leave.

There are unfortunately too many threads on here from people returning to work and assuming what they've heard is correct about being able to insist on part time or flexible hours - although that isn't what OP is posting about here

flowery · 05/09/2013 13:15

"I was of the belief you are entitled to flexible working if you have dependants. I think they have to find you a role of the same level if your job is not suitable."

Yes very wrong on both counts I'm afraid. They have to consider a request to change an existing role, but can refuse as long as they give one of 8 business reasons. They certainly don't have to find other jobs for people whose roles cannot be accommodated part time.

TallulahBetty · 05/09/2013 13:18

You ARE entitled to apply for flexible working. They do not have to say yes.

Kirrin · 05/09/2013 13:19

I applied for a full time job and then negotiated part time hours when I was offered it.

With regards to flexible working requests, employers are only obliged to consider it, not grant it. There are many roles that really dont work part time.

turkeyboots · 05/09/2013 13:21

As with others only full time vacancies advertised here, but there is always scope for asking manager of post to consider a part time role. So having an excellent track record and great relationship with your current manager is vital. Our HR was beyond useless at helping though and I got lucky in that my previous and current bosses are good friends so current boss more likely to take a chance on me.

treaclesoda · 05/09/2013 13:23

I think part time work is rarely advertised at all, either in internal vacancies within companies, or on job websites. Its once in a blue moon that I ever see something advertised as part time. All the people I know who work part time have either already been in the job full time and have been able to negotiate part time hours, or they have applied for a full time job and then when offered have said 'actually, would you consider part time?'.

Thurlow · 05/09/2013 13:28

Any business is well within their rights to say that it doesn't suit their business to have a particular role or employee part-time. I believe they are obligated to accept the request and consider it, but by no means do they have to grant it. It will, after all, cost them money to hire or train someone else to do the job the other half of the time, which is where most companies will reject a p/t application.

In this current climate, unless a role genuinely only requires 20 hours a week work, no one is going to offer p/t working. And there aren't many role that require 20 hours work. Most companies are going to create a role that is 40 hours work, even if that means amalgamating two roles. It's cheaper to employ 1 employee than 2.

It's the same in my firm - the only people working p/t are those who got the hours years ago.

MinesAPintOfTea · 05/09/2013 13:32

They advertise for the person they want (as long as its within equality legislation limits) at the price they are willing to pay. You can still apply and put a case that it could be a part time role if you want, how likely you are to succeed depends on how much they want you in that role and what the competition is like.

craftycottontail · 05/09/2013 13:41

is compressed hours an option for you, OP? I'm going to be doing 34 hours over 4 days instead of 35 in 5 days which means my work is only losing an hour of my time which they're happy with. might be worth considering if you like your job.

Original poster
Pigsmummy · 05/09/2013 14:12

Compressed hours not an option due to customer facing.

I am returning to a new manager, new team and currently an undefined role, my customers have been given to other people, I have no idea who my customers will be and my new boss said that I might be looking after some customers in a new sector. I am not confident that my boss will help me get a role outside of his area, which it would have to be if part time as it will leave him with a vacancy and customers needing ownership half way through a financial year?!

HR just seemed to be keen to get a date from me to return, when I questioned my role/manager change they just referred me to my new manager. HR is outsourced and not in UK. I will approach my allocated person in HR about part time although not hopeful.

I wonder if I might need to network and find a willing person to job share with then find a role?! Could that be a good start? There must be people in the same boat as me? Although might that cost my employer more? (2x benefits)

OP posts:
Original poster
Pigsmummy · 08/09/2013 22:51

Back to work tommorow. Genuinely still surprised by complete absence of part time jobs.

OP posts:
Thurlow · 09/09/2013 11:25

Part-time jobs are the ideal for a lot of parents. But the thing is, they make very little commercial sense to most companies. I don't think it's remotely surprising. Without incentives from the government, it's loads cheaper for them to hire 1 person than 2 or 3. In fact that I think it is completely unsurprising. (And I say that as someone who would contemplate selling a minor body part to get a p/t commercial job).

sashh · 09/09/2013 12:54

Any business is well within their rights to say that it doesn't suit their business to have a particular role or employee part-time. I believe they are obligated to accept the request and consider it, but by no means do they have to grant it.

20 years ago I worked for an NHS hospital (before the days of trusts) that had a policy that all jobs could be part time/job share, including consulting doctors.

They picked up a lot of very well trained staff who left neighboring hospitals after maternity leave as their jobs were 'full time only'.

I can't think of a single job where you have to be full time and not job share.

Thurlow · 09/09/2013 13:01

Public and private sector are probably quite different. I know my private sector company, and those my friends work in, don't have p/t roles as that means paying two lots of NI, benefits etc. Yes, it's a far less supportive decision but it's the way it is at the moment.