Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

To say that working full time is easier than working part time.

49 replies

Graceflorrick · 10/01/2017 20:06

After working part-time for the last five years, I have recently taken a full-time post. I'm only a few weeks in but my conclusion so far is that working full time is easier.

When I worked part time, I often had the same number of assignments as full time members of staff and was expected to use my own time. Additionally, on my days off nobody would pick up emergencies or phone calls/e-mails and so I'd have to wade through issues that had arisen on my days off and deal with them, before continuing with my existing work.

I'm now working full-time and I'm finding it so much easier. I'm keeping on top of telephone calls, e-mails and work, not having to work in my own time, having a lunch break AND still finding down-time isn't the week to have a moment to myself.

I'm remembering why I used to enjoy working so much. It's still early days so I could be wrong, but so far, things are much better.

OP posts:

ClaryIsTheBest · 10/01/2017 20:59

daily

I don't have hourly requirements. So, my situation is a bit different. My phone is basically switched on 24/7 anyway.

Wineloffa · 10/01/2017 21:00

Yabu
I work part time - Mon to Fri, mornings only. I have worked full-time occasionally in the past to cover staff shortages and it is so much more stressful than leaving the office every day at 1pm.

I will never ever be promoted as a part-time employee though. No matter how hard I work it just won't happen. I've come to terms with this though as collecting DCs from school every day is more important to me at the moment.

GimmeeMoore · 10/01/2017 21:03

I've only ever worked FT so I don't personally know
However friends who work pt put in ft hours on laptop,emails,etc whilst at home

TinselTwins · 10/01/2017 21:04

YANBU

Last PT post I had, the only difference I saw between mine and my FT colleagues workload was that I wasn't getting paid for half of it!

StealthPolarBear · 10/01/2017 21:04

About 37 hours? Because I suspect ft staff do even more

SellFridges · 10/01/2017 21:06

When I was returning to work I was advised by a colleague to come back full time. She didn't think the loss of 20% of salary was worth it as you're effectively asked to do a full time job in p/t hours anyway.

It might be different for something shift based I guess.

SirNiallDementia · 10/01/2017 21:09

I think it depends on workload tbh.

If you're doing a full time job in 4 days or work piles up when you are on non working days then part time working is going to be very difficult.

I job share which is brilliant as my jobshare partner picks up the work on my non working days so I never come in to a backlog of work. Only works if you have a great jobshare partner and good communication though!

FV45 · 10/01/2017 21:12

Sounds like very poor management.

For me, working 4 days suited me best, and that was 4 full days in the office. I have also worked 4 days hours over 5 days and that was "the best of both worlds" feeling like I was almost working full time AND doing most of the after school stuff - very tiring.

With both my kids in school I now work full time, but from home and that is by far the best right now as I have lots of flexibility e.g. I collected DS2 from school, did the evening stuff and am now just about to do some more work. The juggling works OK now they're older.

Lorelei76 · 10/01/2017 21:15

This makes no sense
It sounds like you had too much to do when part time
Just as some will have contracts saying 40 hours but in reality work 60 hours

EnormousTiger · 10/01/2017 21:19

Always worked fll time. You tend then to keep promotion prospects and high pay and aren't regarded within a marriage as the secondary pin money earner and you don't end up lumbered with too much work and too much domestic work. It certainly has been a huge benefit to this family that I work full time.

Iggi999 · 10/01/2017 21:21

Absolutely agree with poster who said the work part is easier (when you're full time) but the home part is harder.
With part-time the balance is reversed.
I can only speak from my own experience (education) though. A part-time job you could leave behind you at the same time every day might be different.

StealthPolarBear · 10/01/2017 21:23

Agree enormous tiger

Thornyrose7 · 10/01/2017 21:24

I do know what you mean OP, but I think it depends on the type of role. I am a part time teacher, but I feel like my days off are spent under pressure to do more prep and admin and answer emails, etc.It sucks.

JugglingFromHereToThere · 10/01/2017 21:24

I found F/T completely knackering (morning and afternoon sessions in pre-school), P/T (mornings only) was just right. I'm now a student on P/T course and that's quite good too apart from we're broke.
In this as in other ways mothering is always a juggling act.

I think on the whole we need more flexibility and choice of hours in the work-place, and respect for those working P/T. Sounds like lack of respect for your P/T role and hours was part of your problem?
Anyway I'm glad things are looking good for you ATM. Congrats on finding something that works for you!

InvisibleKittenAttack · 10/01/2017 21:37

I think the only way part time works for what I used to do was as a job share - there needed to be someone doing the actual work full time, it just didn't need to be the same person all week. as a pair we had the same number of assignments on, but only had to work at them part of the week.

I have always hated the attitude of giving a PT person the same workload as a FT person but expecting them to do it in PT hours. It's very common and I would never do a 4 day job for this - because few companies would cover the extra day, you are expected to deal with it. 2 days with noone doing the work usually ends up with at least someone having to answer the phones so getting a handover of what's going on.

Olympiathequeen · 10/01/2017 21:45

Do you also see more or your children with ft? To me the only advantage of part time is that you actually see your kids. You also tend to get dumped on as far as housework goes, so it's swings and roundabouts.

SilentBatperson · 10/01/2017 21:52

You didn't have a part time problem. You had a full time job in part time hours problem. If you can get an actual part time job, which I know is easier said than done, it's great.

Enormoustiger that pin money argument assumes the other person is full time...

DownWithThatSort0fThing · 10/01/2017 21:55

NO, it sounds like you were getting took the piss out of when you were part time

gillybeanz · 10/01/2017 21:56

I work pt but it is pt completely half the expectancies and pay.
I couldn't do my job, and hide when they ask for volunteer overtime.
It's min wage though so not on a par with career professionals.
I used to be a teacher and now I'm pt call centre and loving it.
So I can see why others would benefit like many pps

Nanna50 · 10/01/2017 22:01

For me PT working was much easier than FT however my workload was pro rata, as was my wage. FT meant travelling to work in heavier traffic, less time at home with the family, household chores in the evening and increased child care costs. It sounds as if you were doing a FT job on part time hours. Are you sure your workload is not going to increase?

Original poster

Graceflorrick · 10/01/2017 22:05

I'm contracted for a set period of time as FT and after that, I'll have an extended period of leave (around 3 months) which will allow me to spend more time with DC.

My DH has changed his hours and he's now PT which he's liking so far

Between being in the office FT and my DH doing everything at home, it's working well so far.

OP posts:

Niskayuna · 10/01/2017 22:54

Something where your shift/hours are fixed, that's gotta be easy. You finish at 2pm, you leave. Thankfully all my experience was such that you were literally not expected to clock out late (retail, call centre, customer service etc.)

Where the work is more open-ended, maybe you just gotta be tougher about 'clocking off'. "I cannot answer emails on Thursdays so this will need to be delegated. I'll get right on that..." And, I dunno, if they're going to use it as a way of pushing out the PT staff that could be discrimination. PT isn't some kind of "oo she has every afternoon off, isn't she lucky" favour and they shouldn't be treating you like some kind of semi-working-from-home shirker.

RebelandaStunner · 10/01/2017 23:15

Part time is much easier work wise. But I end up with far more home shit to do than DH, which evens it all out.
If we both worked full time the wheels would drop off our well oiled machine of life pretty quickly.

DailyMaui · 10/01/2017 23:25

ahhh your DH is part time. I think if my DH was part time me being FT would be easier. As it is we both work at least 40 hours a week and have a shitty commute. The wheels still go round but one nudge and it is very wobbly. I meal plan and slow cook daily so if the tesco delivery fucks up (like it did last week) I want to scream in frustration knowing that it means a dash to the late night store in order to provide dinner the next day. Basically everything just about works but I long ago accepted that I'm never going to have a sparkling house or a lot of me time. I know women at work who do, but they are very high earners and have nannies, cleaners and before school care to help the nannies.

Flip

1 2