Flexible working meeting - tips/advice

[ShaniO]

Hi NM

I am currently on maternity leave. I work in an audit department as in charge on assignments full time from 9am - 5.30pm Mon - Frid. I have applied to compress my hours to 4 days Mon -Thur 8am - 6pm approx. My employer has called me to attend a meeting. I just need some advice/tips for the interview. In my application I said I would address potential issues as follows

• available on Frid via mobile for urgent matters to client, colleagues, manager
• work from home for any time before/after hours where I'm unable to work from client site (there is some work that can be done from home) Benefit to firm - improved motivation, productivity as able to schedule GP appointments etc on Frid, finish assignments quicker, available longer to client Mon-Thur

Would appreciate any other advice for the meeting or experiences that you would be willing to share.

Have a think about how you would deal with issues that might arise on Friday that couldn't be addressed over the phone (there might not be any, I don't know) but basically what kind of handover/escalation procedures you will put in place.

Is there anyone else in a similar role who is doing a similar job pattern? Would also help if you can give examples of other places in the organisation where this works.

Good luck :)

LadyBiscuit thanks for replying. There will be a full handover/update with manager/client/colleagues and e-mail contact where necessary on Friday.

I believe there is no one working this pattern in my department and as I've been away for some time (8months) not had much contact with colleagues.

I think that sounds like you've thought it all through properly. In my experience (have had flexible working requests approved at two different companies), as long as you can give them comfort that you can adequately manage the workload and that you're contactable on your day off (which probably means you'll end up working more hours than you're actually paid to do!), they are comfortable with it.

I had my compressed hours request turned down due to detrimental effect on ability to meet customer demand. I kind of understand. Anyway, I have since requested flexi hours (start 8-9am), 8-4.30pm (1 hr lunch), 8.30 -4.30 (30mins lunch) and had them all turned down (full time hours by the way over 5 days). I feel like I'm now getting desperate since I'm due to return in mid May. They did suggest 9-5 with 45mins lunch and a cut to my hours by 15mins/day but I'd like to get home by 6pm to enable a nursery pickup which would mean I need to leave work at latest 4.45pm. I have an appeal coming up and I don't really know what to say besides what I've already told them i.e to spend more time with son in evening, allow nursery pickup at 6pm, junior colleagues to be briefed beforehand and phone availability and overtime to be worked in the evenings/early mornings. Any thoughts? Are all employers this hard?

bump

If they are happy with you finishing at 5, and you want to finish at 4.45 then you are only 15 minutes away from an agreement. It does sound like you've been flexible tbh. You need to establish what the problem is with that 15 minutes - what do they feel is crucial about your role that means you leaving at 4.45 rather than 5 would be unacceptable, even if you make up the time at lunch/the beginning of the day etc.

Does it really take you an hour and 15 minutes to get to your son's nursery? No nursery spaces nearer work? Do you have a partner and could he do some of the pickups? Could you compromise on leaving at 4.45 3 times a week and later the rest, assuming there is someone else to do pick-ups? Have you suggested a trial period of leaving at 4.45? That's always a good option because if you make it work really well during the trial period it's then difficult for your employer to turn the request down on a permanent basis.

Hi OP, sorry have no advice, just wondered if you worked for an accountancy firm? I am about to put in a request for flexible working and am now very nervous!

Did you get your issue resolved?

hi, i finally ended up with 3 days finishing at 4.45pm and 2 days working later and covering overtime where needed. I kept my full time hours and got 45mins for lunch. flowery thanks for the advice.

virgo1979-yes I work for an accountancy firm