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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to not want to give someone on my team part time hours so they "can recover from the weekend"

149 replies

ljwales · 15/04/2015 17:24

I've got a member of my team who wants to go part time, single and late 20s and no children. He's put forward a proposal that includes wanting more time to relax after busy weekends and to go away on more long weekends.

I can't legally stop this as people of the same role do it part time, but aibu to think this isn't very professional?

OP posts:
HarrietSchulenberg · 15/04/2015 17:26

I think you only have to consider reduced hours if someone has caring responsibilities. If he accepted a FT role then that's what the role is.

I'm prepared to be corrected, though.

ScOffasDyke · 15/04/2015 17:28

Sounds like a great idea to me, he's looking for a good work-life balance. Why should you have to have children to work part-time?

CatWomantotheRescue · 15/04/2015 17:29

It isn't particularly professional, no, but it's honest. It's not like a request for flexible working.

I think people should have the right to do what they like with time they're not being paid for and shouldn't have to work full time if they can afford not to. I can see how it would be annoying for you but try to look at it as work-life balance rather than laziness and let it go.

redskybynight · 15/04/2015 17:29

Er why not? He's basically saying he wants to improve his work/life balance, can't see how that is unprofessional.

ShouldIworryornothelp · 15/04/2015 17:30

Law now states everyone is entitled to put flexible work request in so if there is no business reason for him to stay full time you'll have to let him

LaurieFairyCake · 15/04/2015 17:30

I agree it's a great idea. I don't think anyone should have to justify why they want a better work/life balance.

Part time workers are more productive, we need to increase them.

redskybynight · 15/04/2015 17:30

Harriet the law changed recently, and anyone can now request flexible working hours

TedAndLola · 15/04/2015 17:31

Agree with the others. Work / life balance is hugely important and shouldn't be reserved for parents.

Pippidoeswhatshewants · 15/04/2015 17:31

If your team member is happy with less money and more free time, why not? You would have a very loyal employee if you were accommodating wishes like that, and it's much more honest than being sick every Monday.

JemFinch · 15/04/2015 17:32

I thought anyone could request flexible working now due to a change in the law. It still needs to suit the business though - would you have to employ someone else to pick up his hours?

HagOtheNorth · 15/04/2015 17:33

Doesn't it potentially free up a part-time role for another person who might be looking?
Is he a SW or a teacher or a nurse? There's a limit as to how long the 'It's not professional' stick works. Usually after the individual has been shafted several times.
You can always say no, but you'll need a better reason than that.

Musicaltheatremum · 15/04/2015 17:33

There's nothing wrong with asking for it. I work part time and my kids are grown up but like my days off to do things for me. The question is will it impinge on the working of the team? Who will do his day off, how will you deal with his Monday work? And he will need bank holidays in lieu too if he doesn't work Mondays.
At least he is honest.

vanillavelvet · 15/04/2015 17:33

Anyone can ask for flexible working, for any reason, as of last year (or was it 2014?).

If it doesn't suit the business and/or will impact on the rest of the team then you don't have to agree to it though.

It is an 'interesting' reason. How much of a reduction in hours (and therefore salary) is he asking for?

AwfulBeryl · 15/04/2015 17:34

Why don't you think it's very professional ? Just out of interest, not having a dig.

I don't work in very "professional" line of work, but I can't imagine anyone being all that bothered where I work. Like a pp said if he wants a good life / work balance then fair enough.
Would it have a negative impact on the rest of the team ?

ThinkIveBeenHacked · 15/04/2015 17:34

Nothing wrong with him asking. I always thought a request had to be a "business case" request so he would need to explain the effect on the busoness.

AChickenCalledKorma · 15/04/2015 17:34

It sounds very reasonable to me. I think the only way it could be perceived as "unprofessional" is if he's actually saying he's too hungover to function on a Monday morning. But I don't think that is what he's saying. He just wants to get more out of his weekends.

My BIL and SIL would both love to go part time. They are in their 30s, no children, but have a very time consuming hobby that they would like more time for. They could afford to take the financial hit, but they work in an industry where they know it would be seen as lack of commitment to their careers. I think that's sad - they would be much happier if they both did four day weeks.

BarbarianMum · 15/04/2015 17:37

Lots of part time and flexible working in my office. Reasons include childcare, other caring and work/life balance. My boss is part time in the summer so he can spend more time climbing. Not unprofessional at all.

ilovesooty · 15/04/2015 17:37

He doesn't even have to give you a reason for his request. It's for you to decline it if you wish to do so but your refusal must be based on business grounds.

And yes the law has changed now giving him every right to make the request.

daisychain01 · 15/04/2015 17:37

Obviously a very driven career-minded person Grin

On the one hand, we have become a nation of long hours workaholics, having to do 2 jobs to make ends meet, or never having time with the family. So maybe there is an argument to 'kick-back".

But he obviously doesn't live in the real-world if he thinks the best way of getting approval for shorter hours is to give the approver the details of his social life. The message he's giving is that work is way down his priority list.

If he'd had any sense, he would have left out the details and just requested a 20% reduction in his weekly hours (if he wants a day off on Mondays for example.)

Homemadeapplepie · 15/04/2015 17:37

Not unprofessional in the slightest and certainly better than someone coming in on a Monday morning hungover/too tired to work effectively or throwing a sickie ( not suggesting this individual would do that but I've known colleagues who do)

PtolemysNeedle · 15/04/2015 17:39

It's no more unprofessional than someone asking for part time hours so that they can have more time at home with their children.

As long as you know someone is going to be working as well as possible during the hours they are paid to be at work, then it doesn't a matter what they are doing with their time away from it.

OnlyLovers · 15/04/2015 17:41

YABU. I came on to say that anyone can apply for flexible/reduced hours but see others have beat me to it.

Will the business suffer if he goes part-time? If not then, no, it's not unprofessional of him.

Viviennemary · 15/04/2015 17:42

I don't see why he should be allowed to work part-time if he wants to. I don't think firms should be judging the lifestyle of their employees. He's doing nothing wrong.

Fairylea · 15/04/2015 17:43

Not everyone wants to work full time and not everyone needs to financially. I worked part time on and off since I started work as I just hated working full time. If he can work the role part time at no loss to you then why can't he do that?

PerspicaciaTick · 15/04/2015 17:43

If he is allowed to request the change in hours, and there is no business reason for turning him down (because there are other people already working flexibly in a similar role) then you are being hugely unfair to feel you have any right to judge how he is going to spend his time when he is not at work.

Imagine if every manager got to apply policies on the basis of their personal beliefs Shock.Would you be OK if he was caring for a relative? Or volunteering somehow? Suppose the volunteering was for a politcal party that you don't approve of? You just can't say "I don't like how you spend your personal time, so I'm going to block your request".