To think its strange someone single and child free wanting to work part time

[Oolva]

Ive got someone on my team without any children and late 2o's. Wants to work part time. It will cause me a bit of effort as will need to get a new hire in to cover the other days and I'm a bit annoyed with all the investment ive made on custom equipment (several grand!) And training courses. I could refuse on buisness grounds but I probably won't.

Aibu to think its q bit odd? He's saying he will have to work forvever and can't afford a house but I think he's shot himself in the foot as if he worked harder could afford a pension and a house eventually.

Thanks iggi that's exactly what I did mean, I do think many have been unfairly harsh on me tbh.

It is categorically none of your f business to judge him for wanting to work less hours. He has a right to ask for flexible working and you only need to take into consideration his request against the needs of the business. It is not for you to be thinking how odd and strange it is, that he can't afford a pension or a home or anything else you are thinking.

If he wants to to work 4 days week so he can do absolutely fuck all on Day 5 that is his choice, you only need to decide whether him working 4 days a week will affect what you require him to do and what the business needs.

Unbelievable that you think that you feel we are being unfairly harsh - think about what you are even saying about him and what the law states.

This is why single people shy away for making those requests for fear of being judged for wanting to work less and that because they don't have children they are unlikely to get it because they will be judged in the manner that you are doing OP.

Doesn't odd or strange imply wrong?

Unusual I would accept even though I've done it myself.

I once had a bunch of colleagues ask me enviously "how did you manage the wangle that (four day week)?"

"I took a 20% paycut”

Slightly stumped silence as this doesn't seem to have occurred to them. They seemed to think I just got a day off on the same money. They decided they weren't much keen on a 20% paycut!

I really don't see what you think of his reasons has any relevance.can the business manage with him doing a four day week - who cares whether you think it's odd.

It's interesting how many people have incredibly strong views on this. I think it shows how society, certainly in the UK holds up this ideal of work for the sake of working, as a Good Thing in itself which when you think about it doesn't really make sense. If you enjoy a better quality of life by working less and if the business can accommodate it and you can afford it, why not?

Yabu. Who is to say that the 'magical' 40 hours is the right amount of work anyway? Work as little as you can if that makes you happy. Work is selling your time. If you can have that to yourself then why not?

What no-one ever sais on their death bed...

"I wish I'd spent more time at the office"

I know I would if I could afford it. I write in my spare time....however due to animals I don't have a lot of spare time!

It would be lovely to work four days instead of five, and have just one day that didn't start at five am, to get the chores done and devote some hours to writing.

I think it's a bloody good idea actually!!

If you work to live then you can do the sums and find out how much money you need and cut the hours. I know a man who finds that he can manage on 2 night shifts a week.
If you live to work and are ambitious and want to climb a career ladder then it isn't a good idea.
Lots of people don't want to climb career ladders- nothing wrong with that.
We are all different.

Equipment bought is a special sit stand desk, keyboard, mouse type thing and chair
I've worked both ft and pt, this is just part of basic health and safety at work and yabu to think a pt worker has less rights in this respect. Due to the nature of my mainly desk based work i need the proper back support and an anti glare screen (reduces migraines) and wrist support due to rsi. No employer has ever begrudged me this. You're retaining the employee so you're still reaping the benefits of the training time and cost you invested in them.
Would you still feel the same if this was a woman wanting to go pt after maternity leave and you'd 'invested' the same in her?

I think the OP is getting a hard time. She didn't say he was lazy or wrong to want to work part time, she said she found it 'odd'. When many of us came back and listed the reasons why people without young children might also benefit from shorter working hours and have other priorities than climbing the career ladder, she conceded that her view was probably old fashioned.

Officegirl I'm a part time writer as well and would really love to have two days a week to devote full time to it.