To ask for a flexible working request to spend more time with my son ?

[tootiredtocare1111]

I Currently work Mon-Fri 8.30-4.30, I carry out the role with another guy we both do exactly the same hours, I am mum of one and would love to spend more time with my DS before he starts school.

My request would be to go down from 5 days to 3 , I would like to work Mon-Wed and have Thursday and Friday off.

All days would be covered as the other guy does full time anyway, the job role doesn't even justify 2 full time people, I am twiddling my thumbs on a Thursday and Friday mostly ( hence I am on mumsnet right now ) Monday to Wednesday are the busier days hence why I will be offering to do those days .

My role is admin based so nothing of high importance, I just want to spend more time with my DS - our time is precious.

What factors do you think the company will look at that may affect my application ?

Many thanks in advance guys!

I suggest you have a look on the ACAS website. It will give employers some genuine business reasons why they can turn down a request - have a look through these and see if any of them could apply to your situation before you formally apply. You will need to have arguments to back up your request.

It needs to fit business needs, not your family life so focus on that instead.

How long have you been there?

You need to show how you not working those days won’t negatively affect the business, and you have factored in all eventualities.

Don’t talk about you wanting more time off, word it so it’s better for them. Saves money, more productive etc.

Yes, focus on how the business benefits.

You don't need to give the reasons for wanting to go part-time - they're not relevant.

The company can turn down your request only if there are sound business reasons for doing so, and it doesn't sound like that's going to be the case.

The company may have a standard form or letter template for you to use for your request, and if not I think there are generic ones online. You will need to say the effect that your proposed working arrangement would have on the company, and how this might be managed.

If you genuinely think that the work could be covered without you there on Thursday and Friday, then they may be utterly delighted at the suggestion - saves them pay. Of course, if they ask your colleague about the workload, he may disagree - he would presumably get to do less thumb-twiddling.

Perhaps you could book a couple of Thursday/Fridays off work so that you can produce evidence that the work still gets done.

The worry might be that actually they need nine days-worth of work per week, and if you go down then it would be hard to recruit someone to do one day.

Have you thought of doing shorter says instead? 9-2 5 days a week might be an alternative for them and saves school childcare

Hey - thank you for the replies.

yes my application is worded to suit the business needs and requirements, it would definitely save them money , I have also said the work load is not justifiable for two people and it never will be as two of my reasons.

Just trying to word it all correctly before sending it.

Lazypuppy - been there almost 5 years.

I don't think the family-friendly stuff is completely irrelevant - depending on the employer it might be something they'd like to brag about or being useful towards an Investor in People accreditation.

I would encourage you to show flexibility - for example, by suggesting that you will meet to review the revised working pattern in 3-6 months to ensure that it is working for both parties, and perhaps also to have a think about a future pattern with a view to resuming full time work or an alternative pattern to be agreed when your DS starts school.

It sounds like you have the work flow arguments sewn up so that's positive.

Maybe don't go on too much about the low workload as one of you might end up being made redundant.

Once this is approved it's a permanent arrangement @PhilipJennings.

You're risking redundancy and them wondering why the hell they have been paying you both all this time if you go on about "not enough work".

I wouldn't say the workload is not justifiable for two (in those words) as whoever approved the two roles might feel it is a criticism of them.

The business needs to have a legitimate business reason to refuse. Generally if you put what the effect it will have on your work and those around you and how that can be mitigated. As the company is only interested in the working getting done and as little disruption as possible. The other guy is now had his work load doubled to meet your request, is he aware of your plan as it may be an idea to make sure he's on side. What about holiday cover and sickness cover? All things they will look at, also if you're putting in an official request, if they reject it or you want to change it again further down the line, companies only have to hear one flexible working request in a 12 month period, so if they reject, you can't reapply for another year,

Another one saying don't say anything about not enough workload for two people. That sounds like a one way ticket out permanently.

You might also want to go back full time again too - I went from full time down to 64% hours (3 days / week) and gradually built back up to full time now. At our place, anything over 50% is classed as FTE so we can't be refused a request to increase our hours.

Maybe say that you have developed efficient working practices that mean you can adjust to achieving the same output over 3 days.
Are you sure you want to do the same amount of work over three days though? You don't want a job share or a reallocation of work? Remember they will pay you less!

@ilovesooty Once this is approved it's a permanent arrangement

Most companies would put a clause in the contract to say that it is for a trial period of 3 months to ensure that it suits both parties, if it doesn't work out then they can revert you back to you previous contract.

This isn't what I'd call flexible working it's a reduction in hours, flexible working is about start and finish times, so you might agree you will always be there 10-3, some days you'll come in at 8:30 others 10 and work until six, ensuring your hours are met over the week and core business hours have guaranteed cover. I have a team member who uses flexible working to take a 90 minute lunch, she goes home to walk/toilet her elderly dog, comes in a bit earlier, leaves a bit later, her husband works a regular nine to five so the dog is alone less

LionelRitchieStoleMyNotebook -

I have just looked on ACAS and found the following :
You might be able to make a ‘flexible working request’ to your employer if you want to:

• reduce your hours to work part-time

I would call that flexitime.
Reducing your hours at my work is under a "flexible working arrangement" even though once agreed it's not flexible week to week or anything, it's a change to your contract.

As a manager, I would look at that and be concerned about the impact on your colleague and also how I would cover sickness, annual leave etc.

I would prob also wonder what you've been doing to fill all 5 days for the last 5 years and why you hadn't raised your spare capacity. Having said that, I hope I would have noticed that anyway!

You might struggle to increase your hours back up once your child goes to school, especially if you've told your employer there isn't enough to justify your role!

Have you worked out what your reduction in salary will be, and ensured this will be manageable for you?

Hello Lady - I have also included that I am willing to cover annual leave and sickness if necessary and be flexible.

They know that during my spare time I sit and create spreadsheets for different things - doesnt really add value in my eyes.

wage will be manageable as partner has a job that enables me to reduce my hours. When DS starts school I will find a job that is suitable around school hours :)

Good luck! My old job (law firm) had a policy of refusing all such requests because they were quite keen that mums with young children quit. (They also transferred pregnant women out of the top department since”we don’t do pregnant women”) It’s not so much about what you write as it is about who’s reading it.