To be conflicted over this decision

[lemonss]

I manage a small team of about 6 people. All the team are part time and as such their hours are specifically chosen to cover me at all times (not a choice of mine I inherited the team like this).

We had a new starter in January who agreed to work specific hours. A couple of weeks in he asked if he could change hours so that he could finish earlier. In January I was told that this could be done so offered for him to start and finish earlier.

He has now come back to me and asked if he could split his hours over more days and work about 3-4 hours a day.

Now I really like this person. They are a fantastic worker and have fitted in with the team really well. They are good at their job and have a lot of experience.

However I'm worried about whether I should grant this request. Personally I'm a bit put out that they agreed to hours then asked to change them, then when changed have asked to change them again. Will this become a pattern? I also as stated above have very specific hours to make sure I'm covered and this is going to potentially cause some issues with that but nothing major.

On the flip side I understand the reasons that he is asking for a change is to cover school hours and a partner getting a new job.

My manager has said it is my decision and I'm finding it really tough.

AIBU to find it hard to come to a decision? Is it clear cut situation?

The school situation should hopefully change in 3 weeks. Do you want the Thurs/Fri off in the meantime?

In the interim, if he and his partner are both working with school age children, he has no choice but to work with them around. You'd probably get more out of him right now, with 3 or 4 focused hours a day.

Could you agree to it, on a temporary basis? I would say no for long-term, but we're all winging it right now, clutching at straws trying to manage jobs and kids and keep everything afloat. If you can give him a temporary reprieve, it'd be nice to.

No absolutely not. It's all very well you making sacrifices but that's no way to run a business. You need to set it up so there is cover. Really bad management to set it up so it all falls over if you are sick or a way. Say no and tell him it's not vemuewd favourably that he's chopping and changing so much.

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There's making sacrifices as a manager and there's never being able to take a full week off... that's not a small sacrifice.

I would allow it on a 2 month trial basis. Then reassess.

Make sure he knows you'll be monitoring performance closely. (As you mentioned he can't be as productive in 3 hours vs 7)

Oh I've just read your update about it being project based which cant be done in 3 hours.

That's a straight no then as he wont be able to do the job

I've read your updates and to me, you have fully considered it and thought about how to make it work but it's just not practical. If you cousknt assign projects even though it's part of the job, and have issues with cover on certain days, then no it's not practical. It's up to him then to come up with solutions not you. You absolutely should not be making sacrifices such as never having a friday off, to facilitate someone elses preferences

As the manager, you could use this as an opportunity to discuss hours with the whole team. What do their contracts state about their hours, would some of them be keen to swap around a bit maybe but they've just never asked.

Why do your staff have to cover your annual leave, are you the only manager? Could you look at restructuring to include an assistant/supervisor role who would be your cover?

You have solid business reasons to say no. It isn't just annual leave you need to consider, you might need time off on Thursday or Friday for other reasons e.g. a medical appointment that can't be moved, unplanned sickness etc.

Just say no and move on!

It might have been really difficult for him to ask for a second change

Impossible to know without being there, but somehow I doubt it; from long experience, those who are a bit hesitant about coming forward rarely steam ahead with repeated requests quite so soon into a job, and over home/school issues which aren't the employer's responsibility

For the same reason, doing this "on a trial" could easily cause more problems than it solves. Few of us enjoy being told "no" - especially the ones who push it - and being seen as someone who'll roll over can be a difficult position to come back from for a manager

Better, IME, to be flexible wherever possible but also to maintain a bottom line and be seen to stick to it

Part of being a good manager is knowing when to say no to requests. It is all very well trying to be as flexible as you can be but at the end of the day you can't say yes to everyone all the time.

This employee sounds cheeky. I have had experience of managing people like this and they will continue to push and expect you to accomodate their every want. You have already agreed to one change of working hours in a very short time frame. You say that you would be unable to put him on any projects, surely he was employed to do this? You also say that you could never leave the office for work related meetings etc on two days a week and to top it all you are restricting yourself to only ever taking a maximum of five consecutive days off.

What happens when two other people in the team want flexibility in their hours, are you going to restrict your own work / home life even more to accomodate them also?

Your OP and subsequent posts make it sound as if you are fairly new to a managerial role. You come across as wanting to be a bit of a people pleaser, which is fine but you do need to make sure that you don't get a reputation as a complete walkover.

You say your own manager has told you that it is up to you, perhaps they are trying to force some independence from you and test to see what you will do.

I know that if any of my junior managers / Team leaders came to the conclusion that the scenario that you have set out was at all workable I would be concerned about their suitability to manage a team. I don't mean that unkindly at all.

Its a little bit funny that because its a man trying to get flexible working around child care a few of the old misogynistic arguments are acceptable.

Why are you flapping about this? It doesn't fit in with business requirements - say no.

You've already accommodated one request for a very new employee, that's far more generous and flexible than the vast majority of employers would be.

"
This employee sounds cheeky. I have had experience of managing people like this and they will continue to push and expect you to accomodate their every want. You have already agreed to one change of working hours in a very short time frame"

How often in your lifetime has nearly the entire school system shut down?

Do you not think its a bit silly to pick on changes happening during a giant historical event and then applying them to your anecdotal experience of people in normal times.

(Kids born this year will be studying this pandemic at gcse when they get there)

Just to confirm the school hours is not due to the pandemic. It is for when they return to do drop off and pick up

1. I absolutely would not agree any arrangement that means you cannot take leave Thursdays or Fridays, that is just ridiculous.
2. The pattern of hours does not meet business needs re project work. So another definite no.

Given you inherited the current arrangements, it might be a good time to review the working days/hours of the rest of your team before considering any more flexibility for your newcomer.

Definitely not. You have been flexible once and now putting yourself and your team potentially under extra pressure and stress if you accommodate this.

What are you going to do op?

To be honest if it's for when normal service resumes, why can't they use after school clubs etc?

It sounds like the genuine business reason for saying no is that you would not be able to assign projects to him (presumably that have to be completed within a 5 day cycle).

I find the idea of better for 3 hours interesting. The job itself is based on projects with tight deadlines. As such it would mean that I could never assign him a project anymore as it just wouldn't be achievable in the times he would work. He would have to become a more back office role doing the day to day bits of the job

No way! He could no longer do a core part of his job, so why would you even consider it?

It's also a no vote from me. I'm a Project Manager and there is no way I could do my job working just 3 hours a day. He made a request which you can reasonably deny.

Say no. At our place you’re entitled to submit a flexi working request once every so often, I think six months. He’s already done it. This is for stability, otherwise you’ll have opened the door to anyone asking to change any time they fancy it.

All you have said means that operationally he cannot be granted his second request.

That's it! He can make up his mind what he does about that.

You said it is to make his life easier after his partner got a new job. So you are taking on responsibility to make his, and his partner's, work choices convenient for them! Not for you or your employer.

Get that responsibility OUT OF YOUR HEAD! You aren't his mother!

A simple "No! That does not work operationally" is all you need say!

As a manager can I recommend the blog Ask A Manager? You’re going to really have to become comfortable with stuff like this ASAP if you’re managing people! This is a very simple and easy no but you sound quite panicked about it. Is it a fear of saying no?

Sometimes being the manager means making decision that will not make you liked but are the right call for the business.

So far this additional change will mean he cant do a portion of his role, inconveniences you on a personal level and for a new employee whose recently lost a job role this is his second change of hours request....this shouldn't be a difficult decision.