Is it possible to negotiate a change in hours when offered a job?

[emsiewill]

I am about to go and complete a psychometric test for a company who interviewed me last week. All the signs are that they will offer me the job.

HOWEVER, their office hours are 9-5:30, which would mean realistically I would not get home until 6:30 every night. I currently work 9-3, so this would be a big change for me. My dds are not tiny (8 and nearly 11), but I think the impact of these hours on them could be big; and in some ways I think it may have more impact now than when they were younger.

I am wondering whether I should ask whether it is possible to work 8-4:30, or 8:30-5, or take a shorter lunch break etc.

Also, I know that there will be occasional days (2-3 times a term maybe?) when I need to do the school run, or need to start late / leave early because of the dds.

How do I approach this with the company? Do I talk about it with them before or after the job is offered? I don't want to look as though I'm someone who is going to be unreliable and demand special treatment (and therefore end up not being offered the job because of it), but on the other hand, I don't want to end up working somewhere that is completely inflexible.

HELP!!!

Oh, should have said, it is a small and relatively new company (13-14 employees), so they may not have anyone who's asked them this before...

I would wait until you're offered the job before broaching the subject. It would sound a bit presumptuous to bring it up beforehand. I just did this myself, i negotiated starting at 8.30 instead of 8 and taking 1hr lunch break instead of 1.30 to compensate. Despite initial reservations they seem to be fine with it. I'm in France btw, so not sure if things are done differently in the uk. If they offer you the job then hopefully they'll be willing to accomodate you re flexibility. Good luck!

Would you take the job even if they said they couldn't be flexible with the timings? If so I'd wait until after the offer to discuss flexibility...

If you will only take the job if they can be flexible with the hours, then probably worth raising that beforehand - but of course it might affect whether they offer it to you - if you'll only take it if it's flexible, then you're no worse off...

Does the role have any scope for working at home say a couple of days a week? That might allow you to do a mix of being at home when the children come home from school and longer days in the office as required.

A lot of men these days have to leave early or start late occasionally to do a school run or deal with ill children - so I'd hope that wouldn't be a problem for them - and if it is do you want to work for them anyway? I think you need to position it in such a way that you are being flexible - not just asking them to be. So could you offer to do work in the evening (at home) on occasions for example?

Thanks for the thoughts, think I will wait until the offer comes before broaching the subject.

Where I work now, and where I previously worked both have a very flexible attitude, basically work your hours when it suits you (within the opening hours of the office). When you are only doing 30 hours anyway, it seems easy to "make up" hours that you have taken off. When you are working 9-5:30, it seems harder to fit them in...I am finding it hard to imagine going back to "normal" office hours after such a free and easy existence for the last 7 years...

yes, it will probably take some adjusting. I'm back in an office after working from home 3 days a week for the past 6mths. I only work 4 days a week, but am finding it really difficult - more to do with being 'cooped-up' and having to respect office hours as opposed to getting my work done as and when, and basically having the freedom to organise myself at home.

I just can't get my head round it at all, tbh. On the one hand, it will be a good opportunity, but on the other, I fear it will lead to the break down of my family...(not that I'm being melodramatic at all!)

Anyone else?

I think you've just got to accept the fact that's its going to be a struggle to get organised initially, but once you are you might find you enjoy it. Have you already got plans for after school care?

Sorry, wasn't ignoring you, got tied up in other things...

After school care is going to be a bit of a potch, dh will be able to cover most of it, as he will be working 2 minutes from school, he will be able to pick them up and then bring them back to his work until he finishes, which is not ideal, but the alternative is to put them into an after school club, which dd1 would just hate...

I did the psychometric test, it showed that I am into structure and organisation, which really validates my reasons for leaving where I am now (ie it's chaos!). The woman who did the test said that they were seeing a couple of other people this week, but they should be able to let me know by the end of the week. She said "it's all looking very good", I don't know if that was just a reassuring phrase, or whether it meant something.

Good Luck - let us know how you get on, and if successful whether you are able to negotiate the hours..

When will you hear if you get the job? Good luck anyway, let us know how you get on.

Well, I had a call last night from the agency, but I missed it, so there was a message saying "I have some news".

I had to wait all night to call them back.

And I got the job!!!!!

Am absolutely dreading telling my boss, she is going to take it very personally, it is going to be very difficult...

Oh, and thanks for your advice, not sure what I'm going to do about negotiating the hours, may just wait until I've started, and get the lie of the land first...(I think that's called chickening out!)

Congratulations I knew you'd get it! Hope you can get your hours sorted and good luck telling your boss!

Congratulations!

But I think you would be better to discuss your need for flexibility with your prospective boss before you resign from your current job.

If I had employed you, no matter how lovely I'm sure you are () I would be a bit cheesed off if suddenly you start asking for different arrangements once you'd started work. You're still in a negotiation phase, so best to get it sorted - otherwise you risk you being unhappy as well as your new employers, and if it's a job you want then why risk it?

Have just come to this - congratulations on getting the job, but second what SBCIWI said last post. I would be unimpressed with someone who applied for a job on the basis of certain hours, came to the interview, accepted an offer, started the job and then said she wanted to change the hours. I think flexible/different hours is something you negotiate either before you accept an offer or several months into your job when you are established, performing well and more indispensable.

Hope you get it sorted

When I said wait until I started, to change the hours, I did mean wait months, rather than ask to change immediately. As you say, it's easier to renegotiate once you have proved yourself, and also I will have a better idea of what is acceptable.

I am currently waiting to tell my boss I'm going. She had someone with her when I arrived this morning, and is currently having her breakfast (we work in her home). She is a nightmare to pin down, so if she isn't back up here by 10, I'm going to have to go down and tell her...am really cacking myself.

emsie hope it went well with your boss. Your OP led me to believe that you wanted the change sooner rather than later, as you were debating asking before or after the offer, but obviously it's not crucial that it's so soon. Hope you get something suitable sorted anyway

Yes, you are right, originally I did want the change sooner rather than later, but having considered it, and dh having just changed his work site to one so near to home, I think it can certainly work short term, so I am not going to worry about it. ( as if I could stop worrying!)

My boss took it well - she didn't really give much away, but was v nice, and said that she doesn't feel badly towards me. Not sure when I'm finishing yet, but it will be before Christmas...