Critique my flexible working request?

[lilbitneurotic]

I am the mother of the child.
I am making this request to help me care for the child.
I have worked continuously as an employee of the company for the last 26 weeks.
I have not made a request to work flexibly under this right during the past 12 months.
2a)
I currently work 35 hours over 5 days, Monday to Friday. I have flexi-time.
2b)
I would like to work 21 hours over 3 days, Tuesday to Thursday. I would like to retain flexi-time.
2c)
I would like this working pattern to commence from the 3rd of September 2012.
3)
I think this change in my working pattern will affect my employer and colleagues as follows:
Due to a reduction in my hours, I will be unable to undertake the same amount of work as a full time member. Some of my referrals may not be completed within my working week which would mean this would fall to another team member on my days off.
4)
I think the effect on my employer and colleagues can be dealt with as follows:
Although I am reducing my hours, due to other changes within the team this should not have a big impact on total productivity. With regards to referrals which are not complete, I will make sure there are full and comprehensive notes available on any work undertaken and with particularly complex cases I will brief another member of the team. By working 3 consecutive days I would hope any work outstanding would be kept to a minimum.

Can your colleagues cover you work as well as their own?

"Although I am reducing my hours, due to other changes within the team this should not have a big impact on total productivity. With regards to referr...."

Sounds very weak and not specific enough.

You need to strengthen this.

Whatt changes in the team?How much extra work for others? Do they already have the slack in their workloads?

The way you phrase everything so it looks like a long list of I, I, I looks a bit off putting. Suggest that you definitely bulk up your final answer about how the team would absorb your work, any precedents where it has worked, whether you would be flexible WRT the days you work, how emergencies would be covered, team meetings, anyone you manage etc (Apols if some of this doesn't apply, wasn't totally sure of the nature of your role). At the moment it looks a bit unconvincing TBH. Do you believe what you are writing?

You need to spell out what the other changes are, and why this means that there is manageable impact on the rest of the team in absorbing 2 person/days extra work within existing hours (eg there a new IT system that has meant the total volume of work actually takes slightly less time). It might help if you also state why it will not include the cost of overtime.

It would help us if you can let us know the size of the team. If there are only say 2-3 others, then the impact looks pretty big, and you will probably need to say that they have been consulted and all agree it is possible for this to have any chance. If it's a vast team, then your chances may be rather better.

I'm afraid at the moment the request reads as lacking in detail of impact; and runs the risk that you are saying that 40% of your time at work is so unproductive that it will have no impact if you leave it for someone else.

We are a team of 14, 2 other members of the team have increased from part time to full time while I've been on Maternity leave. My boss has verbally agreed so I kind of feel this is a going through the motions request and TBH I think how the change will impact the rest of the team and how this should be managed is really my line managers problem.

I will bulk up the request but I'm not sure what else to include though I like the bit about team meeting, etc. The problem is that I don't reallly have any flexibility outside of that because those are the only 3 days he'll be going to nursery.

"TBH I think how the change will impact the rest of the team and how this should be managed is really my line managers problem"

Goodness, if that's your attitude you are very fortunate your boss has already agreed your request.

Its not really 'an attitude', I can see how it reads like that but knowing my line manager I think he'd also see it as his role and my suggestions as stepping on his toes.

We work in a nice office, with a nice environment and I think to write the request as though I'm preparing to go to battle would be a bit cheeky.

I suppose unless you know the setup it's hard to judge. Thanks for the suggestions anyway. I will make some amendments.

I think pointing out that the increased hours for other will counterbalance your reduction, and that you have discussed this with your immediate line manager and he supports this assessment will, strengthen your case considerably. You could also show him your letter before it goes onwards formally, then you can add that he has seen and agreed your letter.

Thanks Edith, I'll add that in - you've given me the wording I was struggling with.