Trying to do a full time job part time

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Have come back after ml and now doing 3 days a week. Nothing has been removed from my workload and a few things added. Predictably I'm not coping and things are starting to slip. There have been some redunduncies in the company so I don't feel I can ask for someone to cover the other days (as was originally planned). My line manager is wittering about better organisation and scheduling (he wasn't there when I left) but doesn't seem to register that I just can't do the job in the time.

I can't afford to leave, can't do what I do from home so overtime isn't really an option.
Not sure what I'm asking for really but any suggestions on how to tackle this.
I'm feeling like my only option is to give him a minute by minute breakdown of what I actulaly do all day but that would eat into my time even more.
Will stop as this is turning into a rant.

I think you're going to have to sit down with your manager to discuss this, and you will need evidence of how long different tasks take - if not minute-by-minute, then at least a rough view.
You need to remind hin that this used to be a full-time role & now you only have 3 days, so you need his assistance to prioritise what you need to do, what can be dropped or palmed off on someone else.
Most managers will keep on giving people more work until the employee complains they can't do it ( I know I used to).

Hi LA, this happened to me. There was no happy ending. After the company (European IB) demoted me and threatened redundancy I filed a grievance. The company had to provide me with copies of written interviws with upline managers. It turned out that they didn't know what to do with a part-timer so thought "they would see how I got on". My grievance was mostly upheld but nothing changed. More and more was demanded and my lack of commitment was repeatedly discussed for a 30-hour (3 day week). In the end I left last year, I now run my own small business and have never regretted leaving. Sorry not to be more positive.

I would agree with samels - going to part time hours in the same place you used to work full time rarely works as bosses just expect you to do the same job as you used to in less time.

Frankly, I would be going all out to find another job with part time hours as i don't think this situation will end well.

You must tackle it now, otherwise it will only get worse. You will be the one who suffers, both in terms of your mental health and self-esteem.

This happened to me (I didn't go back part-time, but my role was pretty impossible to do do 9-5, as opposed to the 8-7 hours I'd been working before), and as I didn't want to tackle it out of stupid pride, things inevitably slipped. I wasn't completing things on time, people were getting cross because I was leaving on the dot of 5.30 (had to be back home for the nanny!) and eventually I was asked to leave.

It was much worse than if I'd taken a deep breath and sat down with my head of department right at the beginning.

this happened to me too, my boss was not at all sympathetic or understanding, she was not coping with running the department at all well anyway and we were all very stressed. Luckily for me my colleagues were understanding and did what they could to help, but you didn't dare go to HR in that place, your career there would have been over. I stuck it for about 3 years, but in the end my healh was suffering so when they offered voluntary redundancy last year I took it without hesitation. This probably doesn't help much, all I can say is try not to let things get as bad as I did. I don't know if a minute by minute breakdown would help, presumably you have thought long and hard about improving efficiency and done what you can. This still makes me so angry, they are only paying you 3/5 of your salary but they still expect the same work. Do you have a tradd union or professional body you could talk to? sorry not to have much advice but wanted to let you know you are not alone.

OP, you suggest that the original plan was that there would be some sort of job share when you reduced your hours. I went back to work 4 days a week in the full knowledge that I would have to still get the same amount of work done. You didn't. Your employer has deviated from the plan. Did you get anything in writing about the plan for your return to work? You also say your manager is different now. Did he know about the plan? You really need to sit down with him and explain all this. It'll make it harder for them if you speak up as it'll demonstrate that you are being pro-active about the situation and trying to manage it. Good luck

What was your initial proposal when you asked to reduce your hours? Was there an agreement to recruit a job share as you imply? If so, you are perfectly within your rights to ask when the recruitment process will start and to raise the fact that you are not able to do the whole job in 3 days a week.

Thanks all, I used to like my job, still would if I could do it. Things got worse today as another boss justly complained about my poor recent performance - she didn't know me before either.

I don't think I've got anything written down but it was the current line manager who suggested a job share and that's what I wrote in my flexible working request. I haven't got anythihg to say that was approved either but I guess since I've been doing my 3 days for the last few months that counts as approved?
I did verbally agree to try doing the job on my own when I started back (because of all the redundances). But it's not working. Another meeting on tuesday - will try and get a list of what I do completed over the weekend.

This is what happened to me, I applied for a job share, they took ages and ages to decide (trial periods etc) and right at the end of the trial period it was "oh by the way we won't be able to provide the other person" so it was either go back full time or try and manage by myself. My notification of approval was carefully worded that I could go part time but did not mention the job sharer. So, in a sense it was my choice, I felt they had me over a barrel a bit though as they knew I was determined to work part time.

There are proper statutory timings for flexible working requests, they have to follow these, which means giving written responses within specified time periods, I think if you look at the ACAS website it is all there (a few years ago now for me). Also your contract needs to be written to properly state your part time terms and conditions, as various things like redundancy, holiday pay, overtime etc can be affected. If they have agreed a job share in writing but not provided it they are also in breach of their obligations I guess. You would need advice from someone more qualified than me about this though.