flexible working request - do I reduce hours or work long days?

[oranges]

I have to go back to a fairly stressful, child unfriendly employer. I want to put in a formal flexible working request - to do down to a four day week. The hours can be long anyway and we don't get paid overtime, so I am wondering if I should ask for a ten hour working day, which would still keep me on a full time salary, or reduce my hours pro rate, so I work four days at 8 hours a week. Either would work in terms of childcare - I just want to have that one day a week clear so I can at least sometimes do school pick ups and drop offs. DO you think an employer has a preference for one or the other? I did try to ask my boss what she would prefer but just got a response asking me to fill in the request formally.

Based on my companys behaviour and that of a few other companies I know about, it's most likely that the company has a preference for no flexible working and would prefer you carried on as before .

In my company, in the few cases where people are dropping a day, they are making the time back up - or using their vacation (which obviously will run out sooner or later).

I'd actually strongly be having my eye out for a more friendly employer, if such things exist.

hi, i work in london. I empathise/sympathise with you, gonna cross this bridge myself soon....ugh....

In my experience changing hours to anything is not liked as the firm has a working hours policy of for example 5days at 9am to 530pm contractual (and within that mostly 8am-6pm could be an 'accepted' standard by many unlucky individuals!) for the role that exists.

All you can do is think as logically as possible about the role. Can your work logically be done in 4 days? Can your work be completed to an acceptable standard within the contractual hours in 4 days? You may not always be able to volunteer time to work late/early. Don't volunteer what you cannot really promise, you will only upset yourself.

Does anyone have to pick up any items from you not being there? Think in detail here for your form, if you are for instance a secretary, who answers your phone in your absence? Could voicemail be enough cover (eg im out to monday leave a message for priority answering here...) or do you have to ask for someone else to cover your phone? If you do have to have cover do you need to discuss with the individual who would be helping you (lumbered in firm view!) before submitting this form so they agree to help? What happens if they are sick/leave/go on holiday?

These are types of things your firm might consider regarding your role, the more you can fend off this limited thinking the better for you. Depressing.... That said if you successfully think of all the potential arguements and come up with excellent rebuttals then you are showing your skill and talent and are likely to be excellently prepared for when you return. When it works its often excellent for firm and individual so go for it - if you don't ask you don't get after all!!! Good luck!!!!!

We work as a team, and the working day is actually from 7am to 11pm seven days a week- people work 8 hour shifts within that time. If I worked ten hour days I could actually provide extra cover at busy times, though obviously there is less cover the day I am away.
I just want to pitch for the option that they are most likely to grant. If I reduce hours, the saving in my salary is for a distant head office - not for my boss's budget. Compressed hours means they don't lose out on that.

in a way what I really want I suppose is inflexible working - a rota that can't slip and slide wildly from week to week, making organising childcare a sodding nightmare.