Work situation - is this reasonable?

[Floofydawg]

I'm in a mid senior role in financial services. Work part time (4 days, not condensed) but still get a full time workload done. Am expected to travel around once a month for work which ends up in me doing more than my paid hours that week. I don't get that time back and I still have to get my work done.

Next Monday I've been asked to travel for a department wide 'away day' which will basically just be a talking shop. This would mean me leaving home at 6.30am and not getting back til around 8pm. I've said I'm not going and my manager is trying to pressure me. AIBU to stick to my guns?

Men would never say to eachother work only the hours your paid and never fight for more.

It isn’t about progressing, it’s about being paid a fair wage and having a fair workload for the job you already do.

No - because in reality doing full time hours in 4 days is typical. For this doing 5 days they’re probably doing way more in excess of full time.

So I work full time. Do I work full time hours? No. I work 60-70 hours per week. If you’re working full time in part time hours you can bet your bottom dollar those with full time jobs are working proportionately longer as well. Many industries are competitive. If you want to progress you make that clear. If you don’t you don’t. Refusing to working longer for an event that others are working longer for is standard!

@MargotBamborough Until fairly recently local government jobs were well enough rewarded and benchmarked. Plus the pensions are still very good. It depends what service you head up with regards to pay! Children’s services has a much bigger portfolio and carries a significant salary. Others are lower for obvious reasons. What I was getting at is expectation of workload.

Im not sure the Op has been engaged with job reviews and appraisals. How can she still be at the bottom of the huge pay grade? Her work must have stagnated for years. What are people doing that get more? I’m unclear if it is considered a promotion to go up the salary grade. It’s a bit odd to still be so close to the bottom. Plus the OP can retire at 60. That’s generous these days if it’s a full pension and lump sum. Worth a lot!

YABU. Unfortunately, work doesn't work like that.

You need to suck it up and go.

@AnneValentine more fool you. While ever people are giving their time away for free, companies will continue to pile the pressure on as it becomes the norm. My mental heath is worth more than that..

I really wouldn't go in saying that, other than venting your spleen what do you think you're going to get from it ?
I'm 4 days as well, people routinely forget it all the time, why would they remember? I simply tell them my working days, or if the meeting is important enough ( I'm on a not dissimilar FTE salary as yourself) I will attend if I can and either reschedule my NWD or take a bit of time back at a later stage.

This isn't perfect bit better to be factual rather than angry or apologetic:
"I overreacted about the team meeting attendance. I realised it's because my workload and responsibilities have grown and they are no longer achievable in my working hours.
I'd like to have a conversation about how we can move back to a better balance so I can continue to deliver to high standards without being burnt out."

People like you are the problem.

Because there are people like you who for some reason accept being treated like shit by their employers, it makes being treated like shit the norm and demanding a modicum of respect and fair treatment seem unreasonable.

If you're working 60 or 70 hours a week and not making crazy money then frankly you are an idiot.

Is it though? I’m paid the top of a range not the bottom. It’s a choice I have made and I’m quite happy with it. Why should you earn what I earn when I go the extra miles and you do not? That’s why there is a range. To allow for variable performance.

Unfortunately there are plenty of credible explanations for how someone can work hard and engage and still be at the bottom of the pay grade.

This was ultimately why I left my last job (which was admittedly public sector).

If someone is working a whole extra day each week and still at the bottom of the pay grade, its hardly surprising that they are knackered and unmotivated.

This is such short sighted behaviour on the employer's part.

I do by mumsnet definition make crazy money. 🤷‍♀️

Right, well, good for you. I hope you don't drop dead with exhaustion before you can spend it.

The OP doesn't earn crazy money though, so she shouldn't be expected to work crazy hours.

@AnneValentine I don't want to earn what you earn. I don't even want a pay increase beyond what the norm is come review time. I just want to be left alone to do my 4 days and not have more pressure piled on me to work beyond my hours and attend bullshit away days which then result in me being even more behind on my work.

The reality of why I'm at the bottom of the pay grade is because to get anything more than a normal increase you have to literally be working to the grade above you. I'm not prepared to do that. I work to live, not the other way round.

Well I'm in my fifties too and probably in a more junior role to you but I do this as and when I have to, probably every other month.
Our flexi has pretty much gone but I'll usually factor in an early finish one day to compensate.
The other colleague you refer to is irrelevant if they have childcare issues, this will have been agreed to and you can't use that as your arguement

The other colleague you refer to is irrelevant if they have childcare issues, this will have been agreed to and you can't use that as your arguement

It hasn't been agreed to though. They've just decided they're not going. And why do they trump me just because they have a school aged child? I got no special treatment whatsoever when my kids were young. The way people take the piss these days because of 'childcare' makes me quite angry.

The issue here is that your manager needs to understand that you do four days' worth of work on a week, not five, and in a week where there is an away day you only do three days' worth of work.

There should be no catching up. It gets done when it gets done. If you can't get it done because there is too much of it then they need to hire more staff.

If you don't want to get a promotion and just want to work your four days a week and then switch off, work to rule. Quiet quit on them. And don't worry about the work that doesn't get done. It is not your problem. Just keep telling your manager that you have too much work for a part time worker and from now on you refuse to keep masking the problem by putting in all these extra unpaid hours to get it done. You will do what can be done in a four day working week, and what can't be done in a four day working week will either not get done or it will have to be done by someone other than you.

@Floofydawg You sound bitter and definitely angry with your colleague. Not much fun to be around and counting down to retirement. You could just get another job! Put everyone out of their misery. Including you.

Ive worked part time at a fairly senior level. I nearly always took work home and did evening work in schools. I don’t recall looking jealously at anyone else. Back then colleagues were jealous of me having a part time principal officer job. I thought I was lucky too. Believe me, managing children and working is harder than working at 54!

Believe me, managing children and working is harder than working at 54!

You're assuming I haven't already done that earlier in my career?

All the comments, ‘completely reasonable request’. As a one off maybe yes but as a frequent occurrence, which ever frequency you deem acceptable, is not okay to be unpaid for work which is literally what we are accepting for ourselves when we accept these terms. Come on, it’s actually self respect in some ways, some late nights are unavoidable but you should be compensated accordingly or at the very least take the time back at a time which suits you. Why we working for free? And don’t give me the managerial line of salary chat because that’s an absolute scam if there ever was one.

Yep the issue is that it's not a one off. It's at least twice a month. Last week I was out with clients til 11pm. That's time I won't get back as well. I think I'm just too tired for this job now. I need to plan an exit strategy.

As a one off it is u not to go. Whatever arrangements your colleague has made are up to them and their manager.

She won’t earn crazy money because she’s on Facebook complaining about working a few extra hours on her working day.

I won’t drop dead from exhaustion. Why would I?

So do that. I said at the beginning if you’re happy not to progress then perfect. If you want to expect to do more.

Because you work 8.5 to 10 hours a day, 7 days a week, apparently.

🤔