Flexible working request, how to be successful?

[Dontjumptoconclusions]

I'm currently on maternity leave and would like to go back to work in January with condensed hours (working 37.5 hours a week in 4 days). I'm confident I can do this as my job isn't very stressful and I work fast.

The company is quite male dominated and traditional that they like bums in seats, working 9-5pm etc.

My manager is very supportive of my request for condensed hours but unfortunately it's not her decision, it's the decision of a (male) director somewhere in Europe who I don't think knows who I am.

Manager has said that previous flexible working requests such as a better work life balance, saving commuting time etc have all been declined and that my request would be more successful if I mentioned childcare responsibilities and being a working mum.

Does anyone have any advice or experience for how to phrase the reason for condensed working? Any key things to mention which are difficult to say no to?

I just want to spend an extra day a week with my son.

Thank you :)

Are there days at work that are busier than others? If you could arrange your working days for those, it would benefit the business. I found it helped when I did this that I committed to being in on the worst days. It meant I missed out to a certain extent (everybody took it a bit easier on Fridays anyway, took time in lieu etc) but at least I had the certainty of being able to do stuff with DS (and drop off/pick up at school when he was older). If there's something in it for them, they are more likely to agree.

Keep better work life balance, communting time, childcare etc out fo it. That's not a benefit to the company and to doesn't show them our the flexible working won't disrupt their business.

Focus on all the reasons why you'll still be able to do you job and won't it impact on the business or cost them anything. E.g. Who picks up work on your day off? Is it an advantage that you'll be available earlier/later in the day that colleagues? Will clients have to wait longer for a response on your day off, how to you propose to deal with that?

Think about agreement they might have against the request and address it.

Definelty keep it work focused. Eg

I have identified that A B and C are the days that are busiest for my team. I propose that on those days, I am present in the office 8am-6pm as a minimum. I am happy to work with the local manager, if appropriate, to decide on which day they would benefit most from me being here for an extended day

I have considered the impact this would have on task completion, and baring X task, all can be completed within my proposed new schedule. Task X is something I will undertake more of during my scheduled days, from my colleagues, so that on the fifth day I am not scheduled to work, they are not overburdened by my absence.

Etc.

why anyone wants work flexibly is irrelevant and shouldn't even be considered as valid/not valid.

It's simply what effect this has on the business.

When I was applying for flexi working I based my application on ways in which it would benefit the company rather than how it benefits me. How I would be more reliable, need less days off if children were sick, that it would mean I could stay for the frequent late finishes involved in my job etc. I also made sure the hours I was applying for involved some of the less popular/ more unsocial hours.

I also stated the ways I could be flexible as well. For example, I could work the occasional different shift if needed as long as I had notice or start and finish times

You need to think about the negative impact on the business and how that can be overcome, as all the business looks at is what they are losing. So if Fridays are really quiet but Monday / Tuesday is busy, explain what alternative cover is in place for Friday and that your extra hours on the busiest days would help with xyz.

Your childcare responsibility is irrelevant to the business, they have employed you to do a job 9-5, Mon-Fri so you need to demonstrate how the impact of your request won't be detrimental.

There are specific reasons why an application can be declined so try to address those.

• extra costs that will damage the business
• work cannot be reorganised amongst staff
• people cannotbe recruited to do the work
• flexible working will affect quality and performance
• business can't meet customer demand
• lack of work during proposed times

Good luck

You need to prove to the business that it will work, not how it will impact your commute / childcare etc.

Yes, focus on ways it will benefit the company and/or ways that any negative impact can be mitigated or removed. Why you want it isn't really important and shouldn't be a factor.

When I put my request in there was a section on the form asking why I wanted it, so it's not true that all employers don't care about the reasons why you're requesting it.

Hi all thank you these are very helpful. Any other advice is more than welcome!

I don't know if it's true but my manager said flexible working request from mums coming off maternity leave are normally approved and if they aren't then then company needs to have a very good reason or it could be classed as discrimination - I got mine approved after maternity leave but my shift covers lunch breaks so that might be a factor too

I think this is ultimate flexible working request.

This is something no longer approved by my organisation. We are all expected to work more than the standard hours and and most people do 37.5hrs over 4 days anyway so it wasn't fair as it were. Ie those working 5d were likely doing 6-7days by way of hours. Those doing 4 days do 5 days of hours anyway.

I think you'd need to stipulate your working hours and demonstrate how you can do those and get job done. Plus how yo my can mitigate any issues arising on your non working day. Is there a cover etc.

My experience of 4d/wk is thats still 5days overall but for 80% pay unfortunately.

Good luck

My experience of 4d/wk is thats still 5days overall but for 80% pay unfortunately

But the op shouldn't be receiving less money in this situation as she would still be doing the full time hours.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

My experience of 4d/wk is thats still 5days overall but for 80% pay unfortunately

But the op shouldn't be receiving less money in this situation as she would still be doing the full time hours.

Good point. I was confusing the two things briefly.

@NeedEducating

don't know if it's true but my manager said flexible working request from mums coming off maternity leave are normally approved and if they aren't then then company needs to have a very good reason or it could be classed as discrimination

Yes this is I'm sure why my manager said to mention about childcare and being a working mum. But I'm struggling to phrase this without thinking that their response is "your childcare is not my problem"

It's about work life balance. It's a big thing in promoting and maintaining positive mental health.

You will be a role model to other future working mums.

You will likely be very efficient if you can pull it off. Working parents are well known for being the most efficient around where I am.

It's also about retaining females in the work place at certain career stages. Often there are fewer women at more senior levels due to this

Ultimately it comes down to how much they value you I think.