Flexible hybrid request

[waterlellon]

Hi so my workplace is hybrid working, over the fortnight we have to be in the office 50% of the time. I do 2.5 days a week in office and 2.5 wfh.

I am proposing I drop this to 2 days a week in the office for childcare reasons.

Am I right in thinking "we can't do it for you or we'll have to do it for everyone else" isn't a reason to reject?

"flexible working will affect quality and performance" - this is the only thing I can find to argue against my request but my stats show I'm more productive at home. Also If I make sure I'm in the office on the busiest days it will make better use of my in office time.

Does that sound reasonable?

but my stats show I'm more productive at home

Does it negatively affect anyone else when you're not accessible in person though? Eg anyone you supervise or line manage?

That might be their rebuttal to that point.

Yeah, they'll argue I can't train people as well at home. So I'm going to say I'll work the two busiest days in terms of people in the office as often I come in and there's only one or two other people on the team in on Monday or Friday

Can you offer 2 one week, 3 the next? Why are you expecting beneficial treatment?

Are you planning on having the child(ren) at home on your extra day at home? Most employers would reasonably expect your child to be looked after by someone other than you on your working days.

Don’t put anything to do with childcare on a flexible working request.

Your reason for wanting flexible working is irrelevant and shouldn’t be on there.

But it’s not just about your performance. It’s about the wider impact to the business.

No absolutely not, they aren't going to be there during working hours

Fair point, will remove that bit.

Yes that will be the sticking point. That one extra day not in the office a fortnight

I could and that is what they'd prefer - I was going to go in with that as plan B if they are insistent. I wasn't sure if they were allowed to refuse a request because "everyone else will want it"

I don't think that would be a valid reason.

https://www.acas.org.uk/responding-to-a-flexible-working-request/if-the-request-is-not-possible

there will be a negative effect on performance I wasn't sure I'd they'd argue it would have a negative impact on the teams performance

Oh sorry I should have quoted what I was replying to. I was commenting on this: "I wasn't sure if they were allowed to refuse a request because "everyone else will want it" ".

You can preempt the performance argument in your request. Anticipate their concerns and provide solutions in your request, eg about how you're going to schedule days etc. Build your case.

Great! Thank you so much

@waterlellon Working half a day in the office then going home to work the other 1/2 is disruptive to everyone and makes no sense.

If all employees are on the same hybrid working, I suspect your request to only work 2 days a week in the office would be met with why travel in for 1/2 a day and then go home to work the other 1/2 day?

Do you even have to ask to do 2 days one week and 3 days the next? To me this is what your employer would suggest and probably expect a lot of employees to do.