Would you give up private healthcare and a bonus for total flexibility over your working week?

[Uertt]

Just that really.

Salary is the same for both jobs (take home 4,200).

One has a bonus of around 6k after tax (this % has been paid out every year for the last 14 years) and private dental and healthcare. Great sick pay policy. But it’s full time in the office and as I have a DD (age 2) I feel quite stressed about the prospect of having a commute (I currently work from home 3 days a week).

The other has no benefits at all and only a week sick pay but I have total freedom to have my calendar as I see fit.

I’ve never not had private health and I’ve looked into laying it myself and it’s around 85 a month which seems a lot.

I never got that idea, but for me if her two-year-old is in child care then I would rather just go to work and have the knowledge that I have the private healthcare and dental. Rather than trying to work my own hours and having my child in childcare anyway.

I work in a job which pays less than I could get elsewhere but it’s mega flexible. I go in once a week but it doesn’t need to be a particular day. Hours are nominally 9-5.30 and there are some essential meetings (3-4 a week?)! But other than that I can basically work when I want to as long as I get it done (so some colleagues do 7-3.30 ish and others do later). I also save a fortune on commuting costs and, more importantly, time.

it’s worth a lot and particularly valuable if you have kids at home

I think flexibility is great so I would take it and lose the benefits but I would pay for the healthcare privately. If you need it it's amazing compared to using the NHS.

I would try and negotiate the second offer up - at this kind of salary range, it's pretty normal to negotiate

Tell them that you have a other offer on the table - which you do - with private healthcare and bonus and will they match it? They probably will bump the salary a bit to compensate

Also - having done both full time in the office, full time remote and hybrid, you save a lot WFH, have you run the numbers? Train fares/petrol, smarter office attire/dry cleaning, even an occasional coffee/lunch (I do bring my own but sometimes you will forget), buying treats for your team/odd round of drinks, it all adds up.

Overall, I probably would take the second, unless the commute is very short but I would still keep paying for the private healthcare given the state of the NHS

Calculate your weekly travel time (using your hourly rate), parking costs and fuel @.45p per mile. Then times it by 48 weeks.

What is the net figure when you compare it to the annual bonus and healthcare?

I think you’ll find the actual difference in value would make it well worth working from home and having flexibility, particularly when you’ve got a little 2 year old to take into consideration.

Travelling stress and everything associated with it, is a very real stress and tiring.

Flexibility all the way. I wouldn't have it any other way now.

This is such a difficult one because who knows if you’ll need the PH. 5 years ago I would have said don’t worry about it, but since then both me & DD have hugely benefitted from it. Does the new company offer anyone PH, if so can you ask for it to be added to your package in exchange for sacrificing some salary? Its often a lot cheaper for corporates.
Also are you sure you’re aware of and happy with the culture in the no PH place, does this lack of care/ leave translate into a difficult employer despite the flexibility?

If OP ends up needing private treatment for herself or DD the cost of that could be a very great amount, see PP who has had over £100k of treatment as have I. If you want to access private healthcare you’re much better off with insurance than thinking you’ll cover it at the time, just fyi not disagreeing that flexibility may still be more important.

I'd go for the flexibility. You should be in a union/registered body and be offered a dental plan via them. Unless there's a history of bad teeth/gums in your family, or you've suffered during pregnancy, how likely is that going to be of massive benefit, compared to flexibility? The NHS two week cancer pathways are the best you can get, again you can assess your health needs. Private is good during the menopause and for gynae/endocrine conditions. Your DD is two, so you don't know what her immune/health/educational etc needs are yet. While you can grab being flexible, I would. Unless you have good family childcare which means you don't have to be available.

I had private health care through my work for 30 years, never used it once. I would definitely go for the flexibility when your children are primary age, then move back into the perks jobs once they are less dependent. It’s so lovely not to stress about missing out on school events.

I'd also look at the level of cover provided by the private healthcare. IME when provided by a company it's the basic level and pretty much covers investigation and maybe an initial treatment/operation only but not ongoing treatment.

I think it depends on your childcare set up. If you have family or a nanny on hand for wrap around, emergencies and school holidays that is great. Childcare seems easy when they are little and in nursery but once they are school age breakfast club, after school club and holiday club can disappear at the drop of a hat. I've found flexibility really important.

Private healthcare, absolutely not. Could prove invaluable.

I would never ever give up private health care, for me or my family.

Flip it on its head.

I have a wfh job with about 90% flexibility on my office time (I need to go in on average and be away overnight maybe 2/3 days a month).

If someone offered me another job that paid the same salary plus a bonus and private medical, but on the condition I go into an office 5 days a week I would laugh at them.

Not. A. Chance.

This really depends on where you are.

We have been using breakfast and after school clubs for four years - never once had an issue and that is the norm for London primaries, I don't know a single school near us that doesn't have wraparound

Similarly there are loads and loads of holiday clubs, some that take from 3, all that take from 4 with long hours and they are very reliable because the market around here demands that

I know some areas of the country have poor provision but it's not universal

Private healthcare is vital especially if you have children! If I had that I’d not give it up, let alone the bonus. 2 year old will soon grow up. Plus I’d miss the camaraderie of working with others; would hate to be stuck at home. But that’s me. Only you can decide what suits you.

Is the flexible job a zero hours contract or something? Why are there no benefits at all - there should be holiday etc - or do you mean that everything is statutory? I’m a bit confused about which role is which tbh. Would they both be new to you, or does the flexi one currently enable you to work three days at home? Is the work the same in both places or is there an obvious reason why one would be in the office etc?

How much holiday do you get at either place? How much can it grow over time? This is really important with kids…how much potential career/salary progression is there at either? Are both companies equally stable? Is the in the office one the kind of place where that is really set in stone or could there be some flexibility once you’re established there do you think?

Having proper sick pay/pension/private health etc are very useful esp as your child gets older (they will be sick and if you can take some sick days you’ll be able to look after them/take time off when you inevitably get their bugs!) They May also be covered by your policy. You’ll also be able to look after yourself, as you’ll get good healthcare at times that suit you and be able to plan childcare etc in advance if you ever need to go in for appointments.

You don’t say much about your circumstances, in terms of what support you have at home, childcare arrangements generally, emergency childcare arrangements, how close by nursery and potential schools are etc.

if you have little support around I would be seriously tempted by better benefits. It also suggests a company which wants to retain staff and treat people well, which may mean reasonable adjustments in time. If you have a lot of people to call on for last minute childcare or can afford to buy in additional childcare as needed, and the holiday/pensions are equally good then I’d go with flexibility…

you don’t have to answer any of the above questions, but it might be useful to think about some of them…

I am the other way round - never had a bonus or private healthcare but not a chance I would give up my total flexibility for it

It’s gotta be the more flexible role, for me.

That peace of mind is absolutely priceless.

All the best, OP!