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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:
Disenchanted90 · 15/04/2015 18:34

You are definitely jealous OP. Let him reduce his hours and enjoy life, Jesus. Working one day less a week is hardly "retirement".

ElectraCute · 15/04/2015 18:37

He's an employee, not a possession. If you can afford to do it, you have no reason whatsoever to refuse his request. Especially not 'annoyance'.

This country would be a much nicer place if we didn't all feel obliged to put work before the rest of our lives. So what if he wants to tip the balance more in favour of his leisure time? Good for him, I say.

cashewnutty · 15/04/2015 18:39

I am 52 and work part time. I have no young children and no financial need to work, but i enjoy it so find part time to be a good compromise.

No-one ever went to their death bed saying "i wish i had worked more". This young man absolutely has his priorities right.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 15/04/2015 18:46

OP... you're sounding dangerously in the realms of asking an interviewee if they're pregnant via cloaked means... it's none of your business and that 'where do you see yourself in five years?' is a ludicrous question and very thinly-veiled nosiness. It's up to you to manage the business, not his and interviews are a snapshot only.

He could want the reduced hours for any reason and he doesn't need to disclose it to you.

muminhants · 15/04/2015 18:52

Adding my voice to the people saying he's as much right to part-time hours as anyone else. You have said it will cost more because you'd have to recruit (don't pay an agency, do it yourself), but if you'd do it for a woman with kids, then you can't really not do it for man without kids.

Years ago I was a school governor and a teacher with grown up children asked to work part-time. We had several part-time teachers at the time. HT refused purely because she could (at the time flexible working etc only applied to parents with kids up to 5). I thought it was a real shame and quite petty. If you can't accommodate part-time working that is one thing. But you can't accommodate it for some and not for others doing the same role.

flabbyducks · 15/04/2015 19:14

Thank you percy that's helpful

Quitelikely · 15/04/2015 19:43

I'm confused. Confused

If you grant his request it either will affect your business or it won't.

You need to decide which one it is.

If it will affect your business then say no.

If it won't then say yes.

I don't know if needing to hire someone else is a valid reason to turn him down. You need to speak to HR.

I think you are a tad unprofessional for posting this at all!

You come across as resenting the fact that he wants to reduce his hours.

NotGoingOut17 · 15/04/2015 19:44

But why are you focusing on the personal reasons rather than the reasonably good business case he has put forward OP? The reasons he wants to go part time have no bearing on your decision whether to allow him the pattern or not, you can't refuse the pattern because you don't agree with how he wants to spend his own time. By all means refuse it if the business can't support it but make sure it's for the right reason.

And so what if it's not career focussed, he's had 5 years of being a high flyer by the sounds of it and now he wants to take a step back for a bit, if he has earned enough money to do so etc then good on him.

I've done very similar to him, I am 30, no kids and have recently applied to drop a day for no other reason than I want to. I've had a tough couple of years personally and work isn't my main priority at the moment, what's important to me now is spending time on things out of work. That doesn't mean that in a couple of years I won't go back to full time, people's priorities change. I am sure he is aware of the consequences of his decision and the risks to his career, but maybe right now he isn't so bothered. Besides, being part time doesn't have to (and shouldn't have to) end career progression. He sounds like someone who knows what he wants in life, good on him I say.

daffsandtulips · 15/04/2015 19:51

I also have to say good on him for being honest Grin His request is a breath of fresh air.

FeijoaSundae · 15/04/2015 20:11

I totally get why it's annoying for you. Your priority is your business.

But his priority is his life.

You can't hold someone to ransom for a comment on what they may or may not be doing in five years time, in their interview. I mean, nobody is going to say they plan to semi-retire. They just aren't. They same way they aren't going to say they plan to have kids in the next five years.

These are life choices, and although they impact on an employer, a potential employee has no obligation to spill.

It's annoying. But it's part and parcel of being an employee. Their duty to you is only one part of their life.

Floisme · 15/04/2015 20:12

As others have said, his reasons for asking should have nothing to do with this and nor should his age, gender or family status.

It doesn't matter whether he plans to spend the time looking after aged relatives or lying on the settee watching re-runs of 'Friends'; the impact upon the rest of your team will be the exactly same and that (in my opinion - I don't know the legal situation) is the only thing you should be considering.

TenerifeSea · 15/04/2015 20:18

I think you need some professional advice because you cannot refuse him without a valid business reason. It doesn't sound like you realise this!!

tywinlannister · 15/04/2015 20:24

YABU. If I were him I would go freelance. Work when you like without your boss judging you for having a life.

Marcelinewhyareyousomean · 15/04/2015 20:25

I don't think professionalism and working pattern are related.

You get paid x amount of y hours. If you work less hours, you receive less money.

Gender, parental or care responsibilities shouldn't come into it.

The only problem I would have is if a team member wanted to reduce their hours to undertake a second job. I've had a problem with this in the past

wanttosqueezeyou · 15/04/2015 20:29

You clearly don't think his reasons for being part time are valid/worthy.

But that doesn't make him unprofessional.

Sounds like he's got it all worked out.

Original poster
ljwales · 15/04/2015 20:52

Thanks sun, that's it its just annoying for me on a work level and as that's the only time I see him that's all I really care about.

He has only been here 8 months and it did cost a 5 figure sum from an agency to get him. Its actually very difficult to recruit without help, 90% are from people not even living in the country last time!

I'm obviously not going to say no, I've already said yes in principle subject to working out the logistics and the new team member coming on.

OP posts:
viva100 · 15/04/2015 21:02

Hahaha yabu!!! You thought bc he worked in the City before he will now be just as intense and dedicated??!! I work in the City! And you know what I'm gonna do in a couple of years? Move to a small firm, work 9-5 and nothing more. Because i have enough money to buy a decent house, seniority and now realize I can't spend the rest of my life living like this. Every single person who leaves the city does it bc they now have enough money and don't want to work city hours anymore. You actually made me laugh out loud, OP. Too naive. And as to the hours, well, he's allowed to put in an application but if it's too expensive for you, you don't have to approve it.

viva100 · 15/04/2015 21:06

However, YANBU to say it looks unprofessional. If that's the way he worded his application then I agree he's taking the piss ('busy weekends' ?). And no, I do not agree that everyone should be able to work 3 days a week. It's unproductive and expensive for the employer.

Notso · 15/04/2015 21:22

I don't see how having a life outside of work is unprofessional.

BestIsWest · 15/04/2015 21:27

I'm 52, grown up DC's and I work part time. Because I want to. I can afford to so why not? It's my life after all.

DancingHat · 15/04/2015 21:35

Actually OP what he's hinting at at the moment is he's in the office 5 days but because of his hectic weekends he's probably only putting in 3 days of effort because he's tired/recovering from the weekend/mind is elsewhere/ focus isn't on the work. So really you'd be doing your business a favour only paying him for three committed days of work. And that's often why part time workers are better than full time (not in every case before anyone starts!) Because it's easier to put 100% effort in for 3 days than it is for 5. It's natural to have some less efficient periods during a working week. It's normal to procrastinate over a piece of work simply because you can and you have the time. Since I became part time I piss about a whole lot less and get my work done as efficiently as possible so I can leave on time for childcare pick up rather than letting the clock run and eventually going home as I sometimes did when full time.

Look at it as an opportunity to pay someone less for the same amount of work. And almost certainly he'll be a happier, more focused worker for it so you'll win there too.

BeaufortBelle · 15/04/2015 21:39

A flexibile working request can be declined for any one of eight business reasons. If one of them genuinely applies you can decline the request. However, how he choses to spend his non working time does not come into it.

I have no need to work and would love an extra day or two for the garden and the house and often contemplate it but know in reality my case load would just be concertinaed into three or four days for 20 to 40 per cent less money so I don't do it. Grrrrr

ilovesooty · 15/04/2015 21:45

I really object to the comment upthread about older workers working part time. If they negotiated those hours and they were approved by the company they had every right to them, as well as booking their holidays when they wanted, subject to the company's approval.

AyeAmarok · 15/04/2015 21:49

I kind of like this guy Grin

But yes you do get the crappy end of the stick OP.

Musicaltheatremum · 15/04/2015 22:01

I work part time as I need my afternoons off to catch up with work rather than coming in at the weekend. I could not work full time in my job and there are many jobs like it. (I'm in a partnership so take the good with the bad) my husband worked his guts off until he was 38, retired at 40 on I'll health grounds after struggling for 2 years and died at 50. Life's too short not to live it up a bit. But agree as an employer it is hard.