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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To try and have it all - flexible working

56 replies

MomtoOneMarvelousBubba · 30/12/2017 22:09

Im going back to work next week after 11 months off - thinking of it nakes me feel sick. My only consolation is i know im not the first now will be last to do this.my wuestion is, AIBU to want to work from home two days a week and leave from work an hour early the other three days, so i can pick up dd at the end of the day leaving enough time to actually spend a tiny bit of wual time together?!

I proposed this setup to work and they declined saying its good to be seen in the office!

Anyway im not on her to moan but actually to get some guidance. Has anyone got any tips on how to negotiate this? Bear in mind i asked (albeit at short notice) if i could delay my return by three days so i could take care of dds settling in days and they said they would let me know but neber did!!

OP posts:
NeverTwerkNaked · 31/12/2017 12:37

Having a whole firm flexi working/wfh /hot desking policy has also saved us so much office space that we have been able to expand our business considerably and rent out 1/5 of our office space (saving substantial overheads)

IsaSchmisa · 31/12/2017 12:41

No, of course it shouldn't. Absolutely not. The reality is that its possible for companies/bodies to be poorly and unimaginatively managed and still do ok in a lot of sectors though. It may well be that some or all of the firms who lost your legal business simply haven't joined the dots. I'm not sure how many employers get what they're losing out on from being conservative, especially in sectors where flexibility is less standard so people have fewer alternatives.

Change is coming, and i think the spiralling costs of commercial property will help with that, but it isn't coming fast enough.

AuntMabel · 31/12/2017 12:52

Did you email your proposal to your employer OP? If so, that could be considered the formal flexible working application to which they need to respond with valid business affecting reasons for refusing, rather than "It's good to be seen in the office." Hmm

Blink66 · 31/12/2017 12:54

YABU – But only because imho the way you are looking at it, from your needs rather than your value.

This may go down like a lead balloon – but we are basically in a country of full employment. This is generally less 5% unemployment, which is seen as typically the lowest rate achievable; but to be fair there are countries with lower rates than ours (Iceland has 2.8%). At the moment good employees are expensive and hard to recruit – I spend many months finding suitable people, because in general the good ones already have employers who will try to keep them.

So, from your employers view they have (I presume) a hard working, committed, domain knowledgeable, skilled, company knowledgeable employee that helps them generate their targets. If you were to leave, there is a cost of replacing you – directly, through lack of the employee for a period of time, risk of finding another suitable employee and (based on the above) the competitive pressures that they face to get good employees. Every employee is in a strong position at the moment.

Ignore the fact that your wanting to change to a flexible working pattern – which as someone else has said is completely the future. The only thing that matters is would they rather have you on your terms, or can they get a better deal elsewhere.

Now, this is where you need to asses your own value. Are you confident you could get a new job to fit your desired balance (or become self employed and do the same) if you chose to leave? If yes, just state your demands and all the risk is on their side, and will likely accept. However, if you can’t really say so there is a band of negotiation, basically the risk elements that it’s worth giving you some flexibility for; and beyond this you’re being unreasonable.

So as long as your worth more than the next best alternative then point this out and just offer it as a take it or leave it, otherwise you need different expectations and you may have to accept your devaluing yourself as an employee by life choices; but not as a person as a whole, as you have a lovely DC as a result.

MomtoOneMarvelousBubba · 04/01/2018 20:14

Thanks @Blink66 that makes sense. Ill look at my rew again from that persp.

OP posts:
WitchesHatRim · 04/01/2018 20:21

I have 2 childless friends who both wfh up to three days a week!!!!!!

You lost me at that tbh.

Anyone can apply for flexi time not just those with DC

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