Is a 25 min commute too far to travel for 3 hours work each day?

[Twistered]

Whats people's thoughts on this? Employee is paid £15 per hour for 15 hours split over 5 days. They are happy with this I think but other employee doing the same hours is being vocal about wanting to do her hours over 4 days because of her commute. The rota and needs of the business won't really allow that. What do yous think of a 25 minute commute?

I’d say it’s on the good side of average time-wise. However, I can see their point, as it’s more expensive to travel everyday to do fewer hours. If I did 15 hours per week, 2 days of 7 1/2 hours is going to cost me less in petrol than 5 days of three hours. So longer shifts would mean I’d end up with more cash overall.

It’s nothing.

@Kpo58

A 25 min commute is almost nothing. I can't see why they are complaining.

Neither can I.

25 minutes isn't long. My 3 year old does a 25 minute walk (50 minute there and back to his siblings school, twice a day. It's nothing. Ok so 25 minutes in a car is longer distance wise but time wise it isn't much at all.

Do you mean 25 mins each way, or 25 mins there and back, total commuting time? I used to do just under 3 hours a day in total.

The cost of transport would be a greater consideration than the 25 minutes, which is not a bad journey time. However if it was costing a significant percentage of my 45 then I might feel differently

This thread is ridiculous. Of course it's not a lot, to most, who work full time, have a long commute.
Many MN'ers would love only a 25 minute commute.

But I wouldn't do it. For a 3 hour part time job. Which is the OP's question.

I suspect this is more about them wanting a day off every week than the commute per se.

It’s not the length of the commute, but I’m wondering if it’s the expense? An employee taking a bus or train to work and home 5x a week or 10 trips a week will pay the same commuting cost whether they work only 3hrs a day or a full 8hrs a day.
Also, 15hrs/week is part time and if you schedule someone every day for 3hrs it makes it very difficult for them to get a second part time job to make up the difference in money needed to not need welfare benefits.
If you can be flexible with this employee, I would consider them doing their 15hrs over 2 or 3 days.

I did that for £8 an hour so I would of loved to earn almost double that, obviously different parts of the country but still.

Used to take me 25 minutes to walk to the bus stop.

Why not ask if Person #1 would be interested in compressing their week as well? I definitely preferred 5 hours a day for 3 days over 3 hours a day for 5.

My commute us about 25-30 minutes each way. I would be miffed it I was only doing that for a morning's work.

But it's not like you're just being inflexible if that's the business needs. I'm sure a lot of people would be willing to work for 3 hours to fit in with the school day.

25 mins? Takes me longer to get to the shop. Do you mean 2.5 hours??

25 mins is not a commute it’s a journey. Most people would prefer to do those hours over four days and get a day off. If you say yes, you will have set a precedent so when the other employee thinks they’d like to do the same, you’ll be almost obliged to agree. Honestly, if they are treated fairly for the agreed work pattern, then you can say no, once and for all.

This is one of those race to the bottom scenarios where people who have a 10 mins drive think the people with 2 hour drives are crazy and those with long commutes tell those with shorter ones to shut up and be grateful.

I think if there is a way to facilitate the request, you'll get a happier employee and those are the most productive.

Do you need both people to work those hours every day or could you work it that each person does 5 hrs x 3 days with 1 overlapping day? If the job they applied for stipulated 3 hrs x 5 days then you dont have to change it. But if you’re trying to change it now that’s a different matter.

It's essentially a flexible working request, if it doesn't work for your business then it's a no!

They're commute isn't your problem unless you've changed the location or the hours.

25 minutes is not a commute

It's not the employers business to decide if the commute is reasonable or not, as long as they knew the hours required at the time of hiring that is. I travelled 15 mins for 3 hours shift but sometimes I walked that took 35 mins. My choice. If you are changing their hours that's slightly different

Most people would be delighted leaving for work at 8:30 for a 9 start. That's not a commute. That's just driving to work.

£15 an hour for part time work is pretty good. Many people who want PT work find they can't find much above NMW, while this pays almost twice that.

If the needs of the business won't allow different working patterns (can people do 6 hours a day on some of the days so they have to work on fewer days?) they either have to suck it up or find another job elsewhere.

Unless this job involves skills that are difficult to find, I'm sure they could be replaced pretty quickly.

It's the overall cost (time and money) of the journey that makes it a good or bad commute. Twenty-five minutes by foot or by car is an easy and inexpensive commute. By public transport, it is much longer and more expensive - you have to factor in waiting time, delays, and travel cards.

25 mins isn't that bad. I would think a commute of an hour each way for a full day was OK, and that is proportionally about the same. However I can see why they would prefer longer shifts. 3 hours is fairly short unless there is a good reason.

Well I'm real terms that's 11.45 an hour is she's the equivalent of an additional hour commute. Less of doesn't get out exactly on time. Plus the petrol needs considering. For me, I could do a 40 miles round trip. So 200miles worth of petrol would be at least another £6 a day.
In effect that is £9.75 an hour.