Calling all Secretaries / PA's PLEASE HELP ME... :(

[HUNNIEMUMMY]

Hi All,

I am due to go back to work in June. I usually work full time but since having baby can only work part time. What in your opinon are the best days or hours to work as a secretary / pa going back to work. Im actually feeling sick thinking about it..i really do.

Are you thinking part-time or job share? If part-time, could you actually do your job in reduced hours?

Not many part-time PA jobs out there as it's usually a fairly full on job. My last job was four days a week which meant five days work in four for 80% of the pay. I got a bit cheesed off with it in the end along with everyone's comments about how easy I had it... If it's so easy then why don't you do it?

Have you actually had part-time agreed? The days you work may be dictated by the needs of your particular business and may not necessarily be what you would choose.

If you are asking them to reduce full time into part time, personally I'd stagger my days so that I wasn't out the office 2 consecutive days? That wouldn't work at all where I am because my team may be prepared to wait one day, but def not 2... Also, Fridays are def the best days to take off where I am as everyone has long lunches and leave early. Sounds like you're dreading it a bit :-( It may not be as bad as you think once you get back and get into the swing of things.

Have you already discussed reducing your hours or flexible working? I requested 3 days before I went on mat leave and a job-share was arranged. This worked out really well although we never overlapped (she did 2 days), and 3 days each would be better for continuity. My work asked me to do Mon-Wed or Wed-Fri as it would then be easier to find someone to do 2 consecutive days at the start/end of the week.

Remember if you are requesting to reduce your hours you need to put forward a considered request and demonstrate how there will be minimal impact on their business.

I am returning to work in May and have just had it approved that I can go back 2 days a week on Thursdays and Fridays. They are recruiting for someone to cover the Monday to Wednesday. I asked for Thursday/Friday as my DC are currently in nursery those days but also thought they might be better days to work and that morale in the office would be better as its almost the weekend!

It depends on what kind of part-time you are thinking. My a PA (or executive assistant as they like to call them here) and work Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 5pm and have a Friday off - which is needed as my two have half day from school on a Friday.

Best thing to do is discuss with your work what you would like to do and what their views are of that. You may come to a compromise on what works best for them and you

I'm a PA but I couldnt do my job part time to the best of my abilities, things would get lost in translation for me.
Plenty of PAs in my group work 4 days a week but there is so much resentment from the full time PAs, it's making it a bit shit at the mo.

Depends what kind of PA you are also, I mean does
Your boss text you out of hours? Mine does, I am effectively him as everything goes through me. Very very full on!