public sector but no flexible working

[runningpram]

I work for a public sector organisation that boasts about its inclusive nature. When I went for my job the advert said I could work flexibly/ part time. The role is in a very fast paced deadline driven area but in other similar and even faster paced organisations I know that people doing the same job are part time.
However my boss has said that this isn't possible for me - even 4 days a week - as our team is just the pair of us and we might miss a deadline.
The issue for me is that my manager is nominally full time but she isn't in at least 2 mornings every week because of health issues, which can also leave them struggling to focus. This adds even more to my workload and I feel sometimes as though I am carrying them a bit as they get through far less work than me. I wasn't told about my manager's health issues at interview.
There feels as though there is a contradiction, I'm not sure my manager sees it like this, though and I don't really know how to approach this issue. I feel that raising it would make me look terrible as my manager is very well respected, has been there years and a genuinely lovely person. I also don't want to throw them under the bus. Senior management are ( I think) aware of the health issues but I'm not sure they grasp the knock-on impact as we're paid very little attention by and large as the job always just gets done.
But I feel I really miss my DC and would love a little more time with them. Right now I'm working more than full time with no prospect of being able to cut my hours. It just feels a bit tough that despite the organisation going on about how caring and inclusive it is no-one is really looking out for me and I'm being denied something that most people in the organisation take for granted. How can I handle this/raise it?

Have you put in a formal flexible working request, though?

You say that "no-one is looking out for you" - the reality is it is up to the individual employee to manage their own needs in terms of requesting a different work pattern to suit their family's needs. Nobody else can do that for you, I'm afraid.

I'm being denied something that most people in the organisation take for granted

Who are all these people? Are you saying "most people" have exercised their right to be considered for different hours/work patterns and you're being denied that despite having submitted that request, or haven't you yet formalised ? If it's PS, they should have a formal process for flexible working.

If you are being denied, I would be looking to transfer teams which is normally achievable in public sector, as it doesn't sound like the situation with the manager will change any time soon if they have work pattern adjustments in place due to ill health.

I would start applying for other jobs. Some teams like to give the illusion of being family friendly in the public but this only seems to be for certain people where rules are applied unfairly. You could put in a formal request but it sounds like your manager would just say it cant be accommodated. If you want to work 4 days a week then start applying for 30hr a week positions.

How long ago did you apply for the job? I believe you need to be in the role for 6 months before you can make a request. You then need to make it formally following the process.

Saying that they are flexible means that they will consider all application and grant it when it is possible. It doesn't mean that all requests will be approved. If you always intended or working PT, you should have put this in your application and raised it at interview.

In regards to working long hours, it is somehow expected at certain level of management, at lower down, it can often be taken in lieu, you need to seek clarity on this.

I can see that if there are just the two of you they cant justify having one person off for a day a week. It sounds like your LM’s ability to take random mornings off (for whatever reason) is dependent on you being there. Are you allowed to take a/l on the same day?

I would make it your priority to get into another role in a bigger team where there is more leeway - and negotiate FW before you start. In my experience it’s much harder to get FW agreed once you’ve started FT,

I work in a family friendly flexible working friendly public sector organisation, but that only goes so far as business needs allows. If my team all wanted to work, say, 2 days a week I’d have to say no even to the first one who asked, because we can’t function like that. The work is extremely reactive and when it has to be done it has to be done and it needs many hands on deck to get it done. I’m at the level where I’m expected to work all the hours for no recompense, but I do make sure my team get TOIL when it’s quiet.

My own experience of FW is that it can work really well in widget making jobs that don’t have reactive pressures, but once you get into the “work has to be done NOW” type jobs it’s less and less easy to do. I started my last job PT and very quickly changed to FT because I was working FT and getting paid a PT salary. Lots of people who work PT/flexible end up working on their days off too, simply to keep up.

Sounds like it's flexible for your manager but not for you :(

I'm allowed some flexibility, but the reality is that I work 4 days and end up often working on my days off, evenings and weekends (my salary is around UK average) but I can claim back hours (doesn't compensate for regularly ruining my non working day though with reactive work).

Working additional hours seems to be accepted as the norm in many jobs.

But I feel I really miss my DC and would love a little more time with them
Do you mean because your children are at home and you'd like to work from home so you can see them or is this because you are spending longer doing additional hours at work and not getting to see them?