To want to go back to work 3 days a week?

[Saladleaf]

Due to various pregnancy and maternity related discrimination issues I have had to resign from my job during mat leave. Flexi working was not an option and was 5 days in the office or nothing.

I have an 11 month old now and dream of being able to find a new job that allows me to balance being a present mum with the opportunity to continue a career I really enjoy plus bringing in more money than we have with me at home, which just covers bills and basics, no holidays clothes or extras.

I really want to go back 3 days a week but so far my search has only been met with slight smirks as if I’m asking for way too much and being told roles are full time only. Nothing comes up in my industry part time, very rarely.

Does anyone have any advice or positive experiences of finding a new job that’s 3 days a week? It feels like this is something granted to those already working for the company returning from maternity leave. I do feel very unsupported and a bit deflated after what has happened to me, I just really wish I hadn’t got this to worry about. If I can’t find a 3 days a week job I’ll have to go back full time which I have never wanted to do and will utterly resent. The alternative is being a SAHM which is both not for me, and means we can barely afford to live.

Job shares are tricky as there are more costs than just the salary to the salary, it ends up being about the cost of 5.5-6 days work. I’m trying to persuade my employer it’s the right thing to do regardless and they are slowly seeing my business case as they want to be more family friendly but it takes time to get it into policy then practice.

4 days a week is possible at a senior level in my industry but 3 is hard as it’s fast paced project work. In a former career in fundraising trust and foundations was much easier three days a week because there was unlikely to be an urgent deadline.

One solution a few colleagues do is shorter hours every day but that doesn’t really reduce the nursery days, especially if you are paying for 8-6.

Just re-read my pist, and realised it sounds as if i’m contradicting myself. 3 days, as in 6 half dats us fairly common (although less so than 8 half days). but 3 days in a block is problematic.

I agree with previous posters who say you’d have more success looking for 4 days part time (or 4 days compressed hours) and then your partner reducing or compressing his hours too. I work 85% of FT hrs in 4 days*. And my partner does 4.5 compressed. It shouldn’t be just on you the mum to cover child care, this is exactly why women’s careers and pensions take such a hit and men’s don’t.

*Like others have said my actual workload is easily full time though 😬

I dropped to three days after my first maternity leave. Best thing I ever did at work. If you work 4 days you basically end up working 5 days anyway, just without full pay. I wanted to be with my child longer than I was apart from them.

I work in a senior consulting role and the work fits around me for the most part. But I do often have to be flexible by working on an evening or moving my days for important meetings. I have to accept that I can't work with any high profile clients or big projects but that's fine for my stage of life.

I did however work at the company for 10+ years before applying for flexible working. And I never see anything advertised as part time so I'm stuck really. Best of luck finding something suitable

I’m a residential property solicitor. Since going back after having DS I’ve worked 3 days a week in support roles. My first job was advertised as part time considered.

I agree with others 4 days is probably easier for a new employer to agree than 3. Also I’m not sure on your industry but I’ve recently done a few recruitment campaigns and we’ve literally had hundreds of applications - the job market is looking pretty tough right now! Try not to give up and keep applying, sometimes it’s a numbers game!

People asking for 3 days is tricky as you then have to find a 2 day job share and most people want 3-4 days work. 2 days is often not great for continuity or training. Then when one of the job share leaves you’re forever stuck with that pattern to fill. I decline all 3 day requests on that basis. There is an argument for allowing 2.5 days job shares I guess but again it’s a pain to fill when one person leaves.

I am very lucky to work in an industry where part time is common, so I worked 3 days when DC were little. If you are struggling to find part time, could you explore compressed hours for either you or your partner? I know families where both people do 4 days. The only caution I would give with 4 day a week working, is it can sometimes feel like you do the same work but are paid for less.

“It feels like this is something granted to those already working for the company returning from maternity leave”

You’ve pretty much hit the nail on the head unfortunately. It’s a massive problem for society as a whole because people are locked out of the workforce. And it mostly affects women. Employers need to get with it and accommodate care responsibilities and disabilities etc which mean people can’t work full time. I started my own business because that was my only option for working 3-4 days at a professional level, and I meet a LOT of other women who’ve done the same thing for the same reason.

My partner unfortunately can’t reduce his hours as he earns more than me so we’d end up with hardly any more income after paying childcare. It’s something to think about though.

It does feel unfair employers are so against new team members being part time and yet allow existing team members to do it which negates their argument about needing the role to be FT etc. As I’ve been pushed out of my existing job I do feel sad about it all, I’ve got a lot to offer a potential employer but also really want to start at 3 days to ensure I’m with my baby an amount I feel comfortable with. I can’t imagine putting him in nursery 4 days a week from the get go.

Freelance is an option in my industry so considering it too but it’s just unstable and not ideal when signed up for a high nursery fee.

My advice could be for your partner to compress his hours rather than lose them to give him a day off if financially losing a day would not make sense. So he could do longer days and shorter lunches on the remaining four days.
You do four days.

At the very least he should have the discussion.

You both keep your pension contributions high, baby is in nursery 3 days (assuming you don't have grandparents to fill in the extra day which is what we did) and Dad gets time with baby to appreciate how much work it is.

As senior management, we always look to approve flexible working requests from male employees. It sets a good precedent from others and is something we can talk about as evidencing our equality credentials.

Saying "he's a higher earner, it's me that ought to be at home" is too an easy cop out.

Yes, 3 day week jobs are around but the demand depends on the industry you work in. Sorry if I've missed it but what is your job? Some businesses will only employ on full time or 50% part time.

It’s quite difficult to get a 3 day a week job straight away, it’s easier to go into the job full time or 4 days a week and then ask to drop hours once you’re established there.

I’ve only managed to negotiate 3 days when I was returning to the same job after maternity leave. I have gone to a new job at 4 days which seems to be a lot easier to get. I think it depends on the industry you work in. Some lend themselves more easily to part time working than others.

If I were you I would try for 4 days in the first instance and then see if you can reduce to 3 once you have some time served under your belt. Not what you want to hear I know, but needs must.

It may not he possible now, but one route might be to go for a full time job and find someone ina similar position looking to change hours and ask for a jobshare?

I started my current job full fime and the dropped a day. So now i work 4 days. My boss said i couldn’t go down to 3 due to the nature of the job, funding, deadlines etc, which was fair enough.

I think tbh you need to come to terms with the reality of what it’s like being a working parent these days. Many of our situations are not ideal but it’s what we have to do. It also gets harder to juggle things when your child goes to school.

I would suggest you look at 4 days, and do 4 days in nursery.

Simple solution is your partner reduces to 4 and you do 4. You should absolutely not be letting him off doing his half by compromising your career

Can you OH /you work compressed hours? DH and I worked full time but out children were only in nursery 3 days a week as we both worked compressed hours over 4 days

Also - I applied for full time jobs then negotiated to work compressed hours.

I think 4 days is a lot more palatable to employers than 3 days.

It really does set a good precedent.

Our big boss went to 4 days to spend a day with his child and we now have a single dad and another part time man on the team (of approx ten staff). We only have one full time bloke with lids and they are teens.

It makes such a difference to hear your male boss is taking the day off to look after his sick kids because you know.they just get it when you're in the same boat or knackered from being up with them all night.

I know men will never get equal (not shared) parental rights but it would be such a game changer. In OPs example, she'd be able to go full time for a while and have more time in new job to seek reduced hours, plus with more (often senior male) staff at home on paternity, there would be more chance for jobshare or part time working.

Oh and sorry but bollocks to the higher earner argument. if you let him off with that one the gap between your earnings will just get bigger and bigger and you’ll become financially vulnerable, especially as not married. Don’t fall for that OP

This.

i also notice that women returning on this argument then feel they have to take off all the time when the child is sick, which is often quite a lot when they first start nursery. So you have an employee already part time being absent a lot too. Because the man’s job is ‘too important’.

Unless you earn an absolute pittance and only 2-3 hours a day you working four days and him working four days wouldn’t result in hardly any income after childcare. Unless what you actually mean is that he will pay £0 childcare.

We have a lot of part time employees, but recruit to 50% (2.5 day) roles as job shares, rather than 3 days. You may need to be more flexible about your flexibility. Higher education sector.

I work 3 days and have been for a long time. But I went in full time for 6 months then requested flexible working hours. It’s a senior role in finance so it is possible if you have an understanding manager and culture of flexible working in your company.