Asked to increase part time hours

[GGee123]

I currently work part time 3 days a week managing a team of 11. I have been in the role for 14 years, working part time for 8 of those years. I easily do the equivalent of a full time role, working long days on the days I work, occasionally working on my days off, continually monitoring emails & have never had, to my knowledge, a situation where my working part time has negatively impacted my team who are all performing well.

We have recently got a new Director who wants me to increase my hours, she has said ideally 5 days but would settle for 4. I really do not want to increase my hours, I would struggle with existing commitments & am fortunate I don't need the extra money. Her argument is there needs to be cover at all times & has said she'll initiate a consultation. I'm possibly prepared to work a 4th day til school pick up time but don't believe this will be acceptable.

I've spoken to Acas so I know the facts, but I'm a bit lost on exactly how I should approach this, what I should say or what arguments I should make to get the best outcome. Or whether I should just suck it up & be grateful I have a job!

You sound like you're working four or five days a week anyway if you're working late and looking at emails on your days off. Perhaps you could organise working from home on the other one or two days so you keep the flexibility? Then you can regain your work/life balance by leaving on time every day.

Otherwise it sounds like your actual job isn't part-time at all and if you're needed 38 hours a week over five days, it will be hard to reconcile. I suspect they may then decide to make your role redundant and give you first refusal on the full-time role version in a "reorganization". I'm not saying that's totally legal btw...