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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think I should be allowed to flex my working hours for school hols?

136 replies

Lucy788 · 11/06/2021 21:11

To give context:
Ds started reception in September. There was no wraparound on and as I have been WFH my boss agreed I could start work half an hour later at 9am to drop him off. I do this 4 x days a week and make up the 2hrs 1 evening.
This has worked well throughout - he has said so himself and let me continue to do this 2 days a week when breakfast club opened in Nov.
As of start of August this year our company are due to move back to original working eg. Working from the office and regular working patterns.
This obviously coincides with Summer holidays. Today I discussed with my boss that for the first 3wks in Aug I'd like to continue exactly as I am as the holiday club he will attend opens at 8.30 and he will be going 2 x days a week. So I will need to make up an extra hour a week.
He basically told me that unfortunately flexi time will have ended by then and therefore I can't!
I am kind of in disbelief. I'm more than happy as of Sept when back to school to return to normal working pattern, but I've done this since September and it has caused absolutely no issues whatsoever.
I explained to him that my alternative is to take unpaid leave 2 x days a week for 3 weeks as I will have no childcare and he basically sent me away and said he will think about it and let me know next Thursday if im allowed.
Aibu to be pissed off about this!?

It's a computer based roll and I work alone, eg. Me not being there at 8.30am doesn't impact anybody and I've demonstrated that for months.

OP posts:
Nextchapterofmybook · 12/06/2021 07:45

Wow it’s sad to see how many dinosaurs there are out there in some of these responses - how on earth are we going to achieve equality in the workplace when some people genuinely think this is unreasonable. So glad I work for a progressive company who treat people as their greatest asset and as human beings.

SuperCaliFragalistic · 12/06/2021 07:57

If the nature of your work genuinely doesn't require you to be at your desk at a certain time then I can't see what the issue is. My employer trusts us to do our jobs properly and professionally so the time I start and finish on any given day is irrelevant as long as the work gets done to a high standard and colleagues are supported. Not sure what you can do about it though.

MargaretFraggle · 12/06/2021 07:57

YANBU OP. Completely ridiculous. Especially as you have been doing it since September, it's for three weeks, and is organised holiday childcare so that you can work! You have my complete sympathy.

KeyboardWorriers · 12/06/2021 07:59

I am astonished reading this how many people think it would be impossible to manage unless everyone has rigid hours. How are people still stuck in that mindset?

We have total Flexi hours at my work now. No core hours. Just an expectation you will be professional and get your job done. You log your hours but these could be done as flexibly as you wish.

Most days I would have no idea when exactly my team have logged in or left. But as long as our clients are happy and the work is getting done to a high quality/deadlines are being met then the time they log in is irrelevant surely?

It doesn't just benefit working parents either, examples just from this week

  • someone travelling to see family, I reminded them they could always log off early to make the job less grim
  • someone jet lagged from a long flight - doing shorter days this week knowing they can make up the time once they have recovered
  • a grandparent able to do a school pick up to help out their daughter
septemberismyfavouritemonth · 12/06/2021 08:03

No advice just so sorry you are in this situation, why do companies Make things so hard for no reason. My company is super flexible and I'm really flexible with my team as I trust them to get their work done, I don't mind how they manage their time as ultimately they just need to get their work done, it's archaic to be any other way if the role allows it. No one in my place would bat an eyelid at starting half hour late if you needed to for any reason. Sorry I know that's not helpful but it just makes me sad for you and for all the posters saying tough luck, it's not it's a very old fashioned attitude for your boss and company to have if they want to retain good trusted loyal staff.

newnortherner111 · 12/06/2021 08:05

It seems if I have understood correctly that there is going to be the same wish for each school holiday, as I assume holiday clubs may be for other school holidays? So a formal request for flexible working that is a given set of times in term, given set in school holidays may be an option to consider. Term and school holiday dates are published usually for at least a year.

Sad it may be necessary, glad my line manager is not like that for those in my team with school age children.

roses2 · 12/06/2021 08:09

What would you have done pre covid?

Rillington · 12/06/2021 08:09

Your boss has gone above and beyond to help you out. Your childcare issues aren't their problem. It seems the flexibility is all on them and not you. They haven't gained anything.

HandsOffMyRights · 12/06/2021 08:14

YANBU and I think companies that remain stuck in old ways of working will ultimately lose staff and respect.

YANBU OP, it's a poor show.

user1471538283 · 12/06/2021 08:16

I was a really flexible line manager and as long as the work was done I didnt mind when. I had a really happy team and each one wanted to return to me. It sounds petty not to allow you this flexibility.

I would compose a factual email, no emotion at all about how you've worked flexibly and what you've delivered. State any risks and your solutions. Then request to continue it for 3 weeks. If this doesn't work go to hr

Xmasbaby11 · 12/06/2021 08:16

Yanbu. It's not as if you have asked for a dramatic change in hours and it's actually to facilitate childcare. Surely it's more disruptive to take those days as half days!

HandsOffMyRights · 12/06/2021 08:16

@KeyboardWorriers

I am astonished reading this how many people think it would be impossible to manage unless everyone has rigid hours. How are people still stuck in that mindset?

We have total Flexi hours at my work now. No core hours. Just an expectation you will be professional and get your job done. You log your hours but these could be done as flexibly as you wish.

Most days I would have no idea when exactly my team have logged in or left. But as long as our clients are happy and the work is getting done to a high quality/deadlines are being met then the time they log in is irrelevant surely?

It doesn't just benefit working parents either, examples just from this week

  • someone travelling to see family, I reminded them they could always log off early to make the job less grim
  • someone jet lagged from a long flight - doing shorter days this week knowing they can make up the time once they have recovered
  • a grandparent able to do a school pick up to help out their daughter
You sound like a great forward-thinking boss. We need more like you.
KeyboardWorriers · 12/06/2021 08:17

@Rillington

Your boss has gone above and beyond to help you out. Your childcare issues aren't their problem. It seems the flexibility is all on them and not you. They haven't gained anything.
What a stupidly short sighted approach.... Things they gain by being flexible (for everyone ideally)
  • staff loyalty
  • staff who are less stressed
  • staff who are more likely to put their all into something /work extra hours when the job demands

And that's just the first few I can think of!

RockingMyFiftiesNot · 12/06/2021 08:21

If no-one is impacted by your work pattern then it does seem unreasonable. But am just wondering, reading the way you worded the thread title, whether you approached him in a similar way, and he might have found it a bit entitled, and you got his back up?

AppleKatie · 12/06/2021 08:23

^ all this and importantly they haven’t lost anything either.

Polomintee · 12/06/2021 08:23

Yanbu. My boss is very flexible, in return I go above and beyond in terms of my work completed and also make myself available outside of working hours, will use my personal phone to take work calls etc.

It is very short sighted and old fashioned for work places to be so rigid with working hours.

Iwouldratherbemuckingout · 12/06/2021 08:28

I'm a very senior leader in my organisation. I would despair at any manager being so inflexible as yours is (unless there were performance issues). This sort of flexibility is so easy to give and reaps dividends in morale and motivation. It's so short sighted.

idontlikealdi · 12/06/2021 08:29

@L0bstersLass

If you worked for me, and you had a office-based contract, and we were back working in the office - then I'd require you to take holiday for this. You'd be able to take a half-day per day, so one day per week. You'd have the ability to apply for flexible working, there's no guarantee it would be granted and it would be a permanent change to your contract.
You sound a delight to work for!
StacysMomMandyJessiesEx · 12/06/2021 08:30

What were your original plans to cover school holidays and drop offs , when you first took the job op?

What were the plans for the half term breaks and 2 weeks at Christmas and Easter?

MaMelon · 12/06/2021 08:32

Agree @idontlikealdi

Some managers really do get off on these little power trips.

StacysMomMandyJessiesEx · 12/06/2021 08:32

And we are all slating this manager….. but we don’t know the other side of this issue, we don’t know the ins and outs of initial refusal

And the manager is away thinking about the proposal anyway…. Might say yes!

Velvian · 12/06/2021 08:43

In the longer term, op. I would change jobs to somewhere that offers flexi time.

I work for a LA and start times are 8-10, finish times are 4-6. In reality it is even more flexible than this, people start earlier than 8 and finish later than 6 and can then use a certain amount of overtime in lieu (2 days in any 4 week period).

It works really well for the employer as well as employees and it has stopped people turning their noses up at those doing morning school runs, as it means that they can start and leave early, as there are people there to cover the phones until the 5-5.30 cut off.

Pyewackect · 12/06/2021 08:45

Look for another job.

My husbands' company insisted everybody was to resume working from their offices , until they lost so many valuble staff to the competition that they had to resind that decision.

Now that may no apply to all industries but there are plenty of firms offering fleixble working, well there are where I live.

Worth getting your CV together and start looking around.

missymayhemsmum · 12/06/2021 08:47

There's a bigger picture here, people in the company have obviously working and notworking all kinds of hours, it's a nightmare to manage and be seen to be fair and actually provide decent service. Your company has clearly sent out an edict that from August, everyone just does what it says in their contract. Your boss has given you the party line and gone off to see what flexibility they can give you without their own head being on the block. And you have been told not to assume that you can work whatever hours fit your childcare.

Book your holiday club and hope for the best

ememem84 · 12/06/2021 08:52

@KeyboardWorriers

I am astonished reading this how many people think it would be impossible to manage unless everyone has rigid hours. How are people still stuck in that mindset?

We have total Flexi hours at my work now. No core hours. Just an expectation you will be professional and get your job done. You log your hours but these could be done as flexibly as you wish.

Most days I would have no idea when exactly my team have logged in or left. But as long as our clients are happy and the work is getting done to a high quality/deadlines are being met then the time they log in is irrelevant surely?

It doesn't just benefit working parents either, examples just from this week

  • someone travelling to see family, I reminded them they could always log off early to make the job less grim
  • someone jet lagged from a long flight - doing shorter days this week knowing they can make up the time once they have recovered
  • a grandparent able to do a school pick up to help out their daughter
My employer is like this. And as a manager I am too with my team. As long as the work gets done and clients are happy it doesn’t really matter when it gets done.

In the next year I’ll be needing to flex for school pick ups. But will need to work out how Dh and I will deal with it without either of us dropping hours. I’ve already gone to 4 days a week after Mat leave so am not dropping any further.

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