Compressed hours examples

[Zhougzhoug]

I've got a job interview this week and I wanted to ask if anyone had experience of compressed hours?

The job is fully remote management level in a not for profit organisation. Not customer facing but various meetings, mostly on Zoom. It's advertised as either 3 or 4 days a week and they say they'll adjust the responsibilities accordingly. The org makes lots of noises about supporting flexible working. I have a primary-aged child and a self-employed DH so childcare not a huge issue beyond the usual juggling parents have to do in school hols etc.

My ideal would be 4 days compressed into 3, or 3.5 -- or maybe something like 4 days one week, 3 the next. On working days I have childcare 8 - 6pm so can plough through for longer. Does anyone have any examples of what 4 days compressed into 3 or 3 and a half days would look like? What's a nine day fortnight?

Thanks!

How many hours a week is 3 or 4 days?

If 7 hours you would have to fit an extra 2hrs 20mins hours to make it 4 full days. If it's any longer it's even more.

3 and 4 would be more realistic - would you still save on childcare?

21 / 28. So e.g. 9 - 5 with an hour for lunch. I could do 9-6 no problem.

It's not so much about childcare as I have a fun freelance job which I'd like to keep a little time aside for (journalism - doesn't compete with this one). 3 days one week and 4 the next could work. I should make a spreadsheet!

I reckon if I worked 9 - 6 every day, on a pattern of 3 days one week and 4 the next, that adds up to 28x2 = 56 hours. This could be the answer! If anyone's tried this sort of thing and made it work, please do let me know...

Can you get childcare in the school holidays for those hours?
School holidays seem to operate on a 9-3 basis round here.

I’m currently working 37 hours over four days. On paper it’s 4, 9.15 hrs long days.
I must also book 30 mins for lunch each day.
In reality I normally do at least 2, 10 hrs days per week on the days on commute days I’m normally doing an 8.30 day, with two hour commute on top.

I normally log in 6/6.30am most days.

Ooof @Welshrarebitontoast that does sound quite intense. I'm a bit wary of ending up doing more than I get paid for -- like if I say I'd like to do 21 hours and end up doing 28, I'd rather just do the 28...

@LionessesRules yeah holidays are same here. We only have one grandparent who can help out really but they do tend to be quiet times of year for DH so not too bad. Kid 6 so can at least get himself an oatcake and do his homework these days.

I work in the sector and we have some people doing compressed hours in a week (eg 35 over 4 days rather than 5) and we have some colleagues working 9 day fortnights which is something I would like to consider

NFPs do offer a lot more flex than the corporate world I came from. You can only ask

I'm on 35 hours a week over 4 days. I do 8:30 to 6 for 3 days and then finish at 5 on a Friday. I find it manageable and love my day off.

I definitely think 9-6 could work, or even 8:30-5:30 which sounds like a pretty normal set of working hours - you're then essentially just doing a part time version of a 40 hour a week full time job which is would be a fairly normal number.

How about offering 24 hours I.e. 3 x 8 hour days. 09:00 to 18:00 with a one hour lunch break or reduce lunch to 30 mins and either finish at 17:30 or do 25.5 hours over 3 days.