Regretting change in work hours...

[thenarnianna]

I am in such a conundrum and feeling so panicky.

Two years ago I became part time. I had asked to work three days but was given two and a half as a compromise. I found this very difficult for various reasons, but mainly because I found the person I was job sharing with was a bit difficult. After several months I hinted/lightly asked if I could drop the half day, but was told no for various reasons.

So I made peace with my hours. I appreciated the extra money and gave myself a goal to save for to motivate me. It got a lot better.

Fast forward to now, and last week my boss offered me two days as she remembered I wasn't happy. She said to let her know asap. I was pleased and formally accepted. Then I found out that my job share person was moving department and they have put out an advert for the other three days.

Now a week has gone by and I've slowly regretted my decision more and more. I feel sick and panicky. I will be losing £350 a month. The goal I was saving for will now be completely unattainable. And hearing that the main problem with my hours (the person I was sharing with) has actually gone, has made me not actually want to drop my hours anymore.

It all happened so quickly and I felt pressured to make a decision without really considering it and without knowing the full information. Now the adverts out and they've had 20ish people come to look round. So I would be mortified to go to my boss and say I changed my mind.

Am I being ridiculous? I'm just so disappointed and upset. I'd made peace with my hours and would have been very happy to carry on if I'd known the other person was leaving. Ugh. Most of all, I'm just gutted about the money. I'd really got my heart set on the thing I was saving for...

The sooner you raise your request the better - they'll be less likely to accept changing your hours once they've held the first round of interviews than when they're at the fielding candidates stage.

I think you'll need to take this as a lesson though in speaking up and being more frank at work. It's uncomfortable at first, but by skirting around your issues (not getting along with your colleague and trying to drop 0.5 days as a workaround) you've caused yourself a bigger headache and left your manager powerless to actually help you. There's nothing wrong with stating you have different communication styles and therefore the half day isn't working, then proposing a solution- then the manager can understand context and offer an alternative (e.g. a 5 day fortnight as someone suggested upthread).

Best of luck op

YABU. Just have the conversation with your boss! You're allowed to change your mind!

Thank you all. I'm thinking of going in first thing on Monday (I don't work mondays) and laying my cards on the table. Say that I said 0.4 as that was better than 0.5, but had I known 0.6 was an option, I would have preferred that. Got nothing to lose other than making my boss mad, I guess?!

But she's advertised and lots of people have come to look around!! 😭

How can you just withdraw a job advert, is that even possible if people have applied?

Ask for the 3 days.

Don’t worry about the next steps re the job advert etc. That’s for the company to sort. Circumstances change so I’m sure they’ve had to respond to things like this before. The only thing to focus on is letting your boss know what you’d like and why. It’s ok to change your mind and it’s ok to let them know. You won’t be the first and you won’t be the last. I hope things work out x

Of course it’s possible that job ads get pulled. It happens all the time. Changes to budgets, people decide not to leave after all, etc.

Have the conversation. Include how committed you are and you see the three days as giving you space to potentially support on more projects with your experience that you’ve built up in the role. Show that there’s something in it for her, too.

Then apply for the three day role. Nothing stopping you doing that.

I don't disagree with ppl saying speak to your manager but be I'd prepared for a bit of a frosty response.

It sounds like they've remembered and taken into consideration your original request and now you are asking to move the goalposts immediately after you've been given what you asked for.