Help! I'm struggling to fill in my flexible working application.

[trixymalixy]

All the questions seem to be trick questions to let them deny my application to go from 5 to 3 days a week.

Question 1: How will the proposed arrangement enhance ? or at least sustain ? your ability to get your job done?

It won't, I'll be doing less work!

Question 2:Describe any additional benefits to the organisation that might result from this flexible working arrangement.

Errm - none!

Can anybody help pleases?!?!?!?

I'm afraid they are not trick questions, they are perfectly reasonable! See here for help including benefits to the organisation, which you should definitely emphasise.

You do need to address how you will get your job done in less time. What are you proposing? If you are suggesting some of your tasks don't need doing at all, or can be done differently/by someone else/more efficiently, you should document that.

Have to run I'm afraid, will be back tomorrow if you need more help.

Useful website here with a toolkit for putting together a case toolkit here. Example of benefits to organisation for you working flexibly could be for example job share two people's skills and abilities for price of one etc? Happy to help more if you can give a bit more information - see flowery's post.

I know it's reasonable, I'm just struggling to come up with reasons.

What do you think of these answers?

1.Working part time will improve my work life balance which will increase my morale and motivation to get the job done.

2.Necessary trips to the doctor with my son for reasons such as vaccinations etc. can be done in the days I am not working rather than having to take time out of work.

Bump!!

i need to have this in tomorrow so any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Your answers sound perfectly reasonable to me.
Happy workers = Good job done.

I'm not here really, just a quick one - have you addressed how you are hoping to reduce your hours? If your job currently takes you 5 days a week to do, how are you going to do it in 3? You need to address that if you haven't already.

It shouldn't be a problem. A lot of the people at my work study for professional qualifications and the work is arranged to suit them taking time off to study so it won't be any different for me working part time.

I think it is pretty much a done deal as there are lots of part time workers at my level so there has been a precedent set.

I've cut and paste some more from website I linked for you.

Your working pattern
Think carefully about the effect that part-time working would have on your employer's business. For example, if Friday is your busiest day of the week, its more likely that your employer will refuse an application to take Friday off than a quieter day. Similarly, if your job requires you to open the shop each day, your employer may well refuse an application to take each morning off. Having a clear idea of the limits to any request will help you decide what you should ask for and encourage your employer to take your request seriously. Don't damage your chances by asking for something which is clearly not going to be workable.

Costs to your employer
Your employer may have grounds to refuse your request if it would be too costly for them to reallocate your workload among other staff, for example because of overtime, retraining costs etc.

Think of ways to reduce costs to your employer. For example, could you undertake the retraining of other staff? You can also point out that your employer will make cost savings because you will no longer be getting full-time pay.

Work-life balance
You need to stress that improving your work-life balance will help your morale, motivation and commitment to the business. If you need to work flexibly because of family commitments, granting your request will make sure that you can stay with the business and are not forced to look elsewhere. It will also enhance the business's reputation as an employer of choice.

Supporting your application
Speak to anyone you know in a similar job about their working patterns and find out how they presented their case to their employer.

Use this information in support of your application. Alternatively, if their request was refused, look at the reasons given and see if these could be applied to your case. If so, think of ways around them.

Trial periods
If you or your employer aren't sure that job sharing will work, remember that you can agree to try out the new pattern for a short period. Be sure to agree (in writing) with your employer which of you has the final decision about whether the pattern becomes permanent and what will happen if you can't agree.

HTH

Thanks for your help. i have completed it and sent it off!

Good luck, let us know how you get on

Phew. it was just more of a formality than anything.

My manager came back straight away saying it had been accepted.

Thanks for your help.

well done trixy. i am sure that is a weight lifted! makes the return a bit less painful.
my boss has turned down my requests so its off to appeal we go!

WO - That's a nightmare. What reason have they given?