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Original poster

Five working days into four

28 replies

IceBergJam · 27/11/2012 13:31

My reduced hours request was refused but they offered condensing my hours into four days rather than five.

Anyone do this? Does it work?

OP posts:

gwenniebee · 27/11/2012 13:34

I don't know - I haven't done it. However, I am a teacher and have been offered four days... but with all my classes from five days squeezed into that four (so, same planning, same marking, same reports, 4/5 of the money). For me, it's not going to work.

I think if you are going to be doing manic days for less pay, it's worth reconsidering...

Original poster

IceBergJam · 27/11/2012 13:37

It will be the same hours so same pay I presume!

OP posts:

acertainage · 27/11/2012 17:37

I think if you want to do four days but they wouldn't let you then try what they have offered and if it's to much just do five. I was refused as well and I wasn't offered this alternative and I would have given it a go. The general impression I get though is that people are exhausted when going back to work and you are going to have 4 slightly longer days that would not help with that. If you are not easily tired you will be fine. :-)

Original poster

IceBergJam · 27/11/2012 17:48

Bum. I tire easily! DD still up about 4 times a night. Ill give it a go and see what happens!

Have you gone back?

OP posts:

Mandy21 · 27/11/2012 21:02

I haven't done it but have colleagues who have - the overriding positive is that financially, its great. You only have to work four days, therefore pay for childcare for 4 days, yet you're getting a full salary.

Negatives - you'll have a manic 4 days. It will be long days and that might mean you might struggle for childcare (i.e. majority of nurseries close at 6pm - can you collect by then?). Your time with your DC on those days will probably be short. You'll probably be viewed by the firm / colleagues as a part timer even though you're actually doing a full day week, just on the basis that you're out of the office one day a week. In some fields (like mine) this might affect your long term career prospects. You will also probably end up doing more than a full time week just because you'll feel you'll have to overcompensate for that day off.

As others have said, all you can do is try it and ask for a review in say 3 months.

ceeveebee · 27/11/2012 21:27

Depends what your childcare arrangement are and whether you can share mornings/evenings with your OH.

I have the opposite dilemma- I am doing 3 normal days but with travel I am out of the house from 8am to 7pm, DH out 7am to 8pm, luckily we have a nanny but its horrible not really spending any time with my DCs on my working days, they are ready for bed when I get in, sonetimes don't see either parent before bed so I am thinking of changing to 4 short days but don't know whether it will make much difference in reality other than costing more in childcare

Original poster

IceBergJam · 28/11/2012 09:14

I can do the additional hours at home in the evenings. Other half of our team is USbased so I guess I can scedhule meetings in the evening.

Husband back at 1630.

Maybe it will be a blessing. A day off and still get the cash. I am worried about people still getting me to attend meetings on the Friday, or asking me to finish off bits of work but I guess I need to manage expectations. Normally in bed for 2000 though!

Ceevee that sounds hard. Will changing to four days make a significant change?

OP posts:

Juustanothermnetter · 28/11/2012 09:22

I did it after dd and before ds (on mat leave now). I did it for about 1.5 years.

It's really difficult tbh. I did mon-thurs. left home before dd was awake at least 3 days and was home after she was in bed at least 2/3 days. It was exhausting but I got to spend a whole day with her. I wouldn't do it again but would prefer it to 5 days a week. It might be easier to do 4.5 in office then have half day with your baby?

When I was pregnant with Ds it was really really difficult to summon the energy every day. On the plus side I got loads done in the early mornings and late nights.

Good luck!

pushmepullyou · 28/11/2012 09:26

I do it and it works very well for us. I just do a couple of hours in the evening once the dc are in bed.

BadRoly · 28/11/2012 09:30

Dh does it because he works away and is paid hourly. Monday is usually a shorter day but Tues & Weds he does 2x 12 hour days min and Thursday is about 10hours. Fridays with just the 2 of us (for the morning anyway) makes the long days worth it

Original poster

IceBergJam · 28/11/2012 11:10

BadRoly, that sounds like it. Ill give it a go. Thanks everyone for your advise!

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Jules125 · 28/11/2012 14:10

I've done it for 6 months (now on maternity leave). It is hard hard hard for the 4 days but for me worth it - both financially and having the extra day with DD. You do need stamina / concentration for the 4 days. And I batch cook so nothing to do at home on those days. Try it and see - I think it works for us.

Original poster

IceBergJam · 28/11/2012 14:55

Have two teen stepsons who will be cooking one meal each a week. And think ill get a cleaner.

Im worried my stamina has gone but maybe its because im out of the situation. Sounds like other people make it work.

OP posts:

bunjies · 28/11/2012 15:05

I started doing this in January and much prefer it to doing 5 days. I used to get in for 8 anyway so now I leave a bit later & only have 1/2 hr official lunch break. Unofficially I don't take it and usually work through. I have a hour and half commute so leave the house at 6.45 and get home anywhere between 6.30 and 7pm. The dcs & dh are asleep when I leave & I get a couple of hours with them in the evening. It does help that dh is self employed so can get dcs ready in the morning & pick up in the afternoon for the 4 days. I also think it works well when dcs are older as you have more of an evening with them. Mine are 13, 10 & 7. I have Mondays off as I like not having that Sunday night feeling & actually like the atmosphere in the office on a Friday as everyone is looking forward to the weekend, including me!

Good luck with what you choose.

Jules125 · 28/11/2012 15:45

yes - do get a cleaner!

housesalehelp · 28/11/2012 21:25

I do a 9 day fortnight - that works well so far - not loads of extra hours -and in the office some weeks for 5 days - we do have to plan for the weeks I am working 5 days - so far a bit of AL for me and DH and my CM will do the odd extra day -but getting 5 days pay and only paying for 4 days childcare is great - I just block the days out in my diary

milkysmum · 28/11/2012 21:30

I'm a community nurse- currently working part time but need to increase hours to full as we are skint! Plan on working 8am-6pm over 4 days as this is what a few others in the team with small children do and it seems to work for them as save extra day child care fee' s and have extra day off with dc.

threepiecesuite · 28/11/2012 21:32

My friend does this. she has a 1.5 hour commute and leaves the house at 6.30 am, gets home at 7.30pm. Sees DS for 1/2 hour before bed. On her day off, she's exhausted and not really fit for a day of toddler based activites. Colleagues still resent her because she gets a day off 'to be a lady of leisure'. She hates it.
It sounds like it might fit your family situation a little more though. Online food shopping is your friend here, and a cleaner will be worth their weight in gold.

MikeOxard · 28/11/2012 21:38

I did this, and dh does it too. It worked really, really well for me. It is tiring until you get used to it, but more than worth it for an extra day at home with the kids. Plus it's an enormous saving on childcare. It also means you get one or two quiet periods in the office (before and/or after everyone else comes in/goes home) when you can really get your head down and work through things.

Original poster

IceBergJam · 29/11/2012 07:43

My commute to my main office is only 30mins.

threepiece, that's a worry. People in my area do tend to do extra evening work to fit in with the US. I'll now be counting this as hours towards a day off while they wont. I can see this as my main worry. How does your friend handle it?

OP posts:

housesalehelp · 30/11/2012 11:18

I have to work extra hours - early starts and evenings - sometimes - having compressed hours means that I don't resent it - which I would - due to not seeing DCs - a
returning from maternity leave you have to do what works for you - working more than full time probably wouldn't
one of my collegues who has a young DC herself asks me what I did with my "day off" it getting old to say I am still working..
is there anyone else at your level working part-time/flexiable hours maybe have a word with what works for them

StickEmWithThePointyEnd · 30/11/2012 11:22

I used to do 5 days into 4, I did it for years, even before I had ds and loved it. I had to go back to five days earlier this year due to dh changing jobs but as of the new year dh is becoming a SAHD so I'm considering going back to the condensed week. It's cheaper for me too as only have to pay for 4 days of train travel rather than 5!

naughtymummy · 30/11/2012 15:59

Marking my place

BackforGood · 30/11/2012 16:19

I can't see how you can fit a whole day's worth of 'working in the evenings' into 4 evenings, if you are going to bed at 8pm!
Surely by the time you've eaten and cleared up, you are going to be pushed to have even an hour an evening, and that's if you eat relatively early, and someone else is putting your LO to bed / bath / story, etc. and you start work straight away.

LibrarianByDay · 03/12/2012 21:58

I've been doing this for 5/6 years. I've shortened my lunch hour and lenghthened my working day. It has it good points and its bad. I get an extra day at home with the children and childcare costs are less. On the down side I'm permanently exhausted. 3 days of being a SAHM and a full time job feels quite a lot like working an 8 day week most of the time! That said it is preferable to doing 5 days at work with all the extra costs that would come with.

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