Requesting compressed hours

[Woofins]

Hey all I work for a global company in the UK and recently discussed with my manager about compressing my week slightly to allow me do a school pick up one day a week. The time I can make up by doing an additional 30 minutes per day the other days. My manager is very supportive however on reaching out to the HR rep I got a flat no to compressed hours. The HR person said that was company policy which I couldn't find any documentation stating that. HR rep said they would explain on a call but they didn't turn up the call today.
I haven't officially submitted my request, I do see however there is a recent update on ACAS on flexible working that came into effect this month.
So basically just looking for any advice:-) on how to approach this. Reduced hours is something I'd maybe consider but prefer not to reduce pay etc.

My work is non client facing, no reason for not having flexibility easily do more than 2 hrs additional per week as it is. Work for large American corporation in UK no unions unfortunately. My end of year reviews consistently good / excellent.

Your entitlement is to have your request considered. Not for it to be accepted.

I’m a HR Director and have just moved to a company that doesn’t allow compressed hours. Policy is being strengthened to manage expectations.

(you’re currently giving them those 2 hours for free. Rightly or wrongly they don’t have to agree to you having them back unless working them takes you below minimum wage.)

Put in a formal flexible working request
They have to have a business reason to refuse it

@OneMoreTime23 thank you for taking time to reply :-)
Ok that's interesting so I didn't submit anything officially yet and was told no unofficially I guess. I suppose if I can get an answer for reasons it might help me consider alternatives.

I guess if it's compression of 5 days to 4 I could see it from an employers P.O.V in that an employee would not be available on that one day. But Im surprised it could be a no compressed hours policy without considering the request.

@OneMoreTime23 out of interest what is the reason behind the new companies policy?

OP I would also change the use of language in your request and don't say compressed hours.

Describe your flexible working request is to work xx to xx on these days and xx to xx on this day thus achieving xx contracted hours.

@StealthMama cool good advice. I will take a look at my request tomorrow and check my wording.
I think aswell I will submit it officially this week.
I will read the new flexible working policy again I'm sure I can make 2 requests in a 12 month period. So this when I submit it will be my first.

It pre-dates me but two reasons - first is well-being if people are working long hours on their working days (most people also have long commutes) and the second is that you end up with the compressed hours people working their hours and everyone else working extra for free (as OP is now). May also cause further discrepancies with those having to cover shifts.

It’s a swings and roundabouts thing and I don’t think anyone has tested it on reasonable adjustment grounds etc.

You can make the request but they can absolutely decline it, as has been advised above.

DH had his compressed hours request turned down on ‘mental health grounds’. We used the acas website to give him a number of persuasive points to discuss. In the end the HR director said company policy is a flat no, but his director could agree to the request under the radar. You might be able to agree it with your boss and not involve HR…

I work in the public sector. I was forced by HR to accept a request for compressed hours for someone we'd only hired the month before. He's full time and wanted the leave the office at 2.30 pm every day to do the school run and then continue working from home and make up the time at the end of the day. They also forced me to accept an unpaid leave request of one week to allow him to go on holiday at half term even though he'd ran out of annual leave.

It's a shame your HR department won't support your decisions!

(If the holiday was booked before they took up employment I think you have to authorise it though)

I also work for a US multi national where they don’t officially accept compressed hours. Anything that goes through is under the radar, unofficial agreements with mgrs usually. What does your line mgr think, are they supportive?

The problem with under the radar agreements is that they can be terminated at any time.

I do compressed hours (a 9 day fortnight) and it’s a pattern that’s actively encouraged to support good mental health and work life balance. I’d certainly ask to see the policy that explicitly states you can’t have this arrangement but if not, I’d do as @StealthMama says and reword the request.

www.gov.uk/flexible-working

This is useful, I would submit the request then let them come back with their response officially. Your proposal sounds very reasonable, I agree just call it flexible working not compressed hours.

Yes do it formally. Also consider offering the reduced hours

Parents are allowed up to eighteen weeks unpaid leave to look after their children. There are conditions re timing and notice but that is legal

Can't you just have a discretionary arrangement with your boss? I get in late but I also leave the office late, to avoid rush hour train tickets etc. It's not in my contract but they just let me crack on.

Yes do it formally. Also consider offering the reduced hours

I wouldn’t offer reduced hours at this stage unless you want reduced hours/reduced salary, because they’ll refuse your compressed hours and reduce your hours, it’s cheaper for them to do that. You could negotiate reduced hours if they refuse, as a fall back position but I wouldn’t offer that option as a starting point.

This isn't compressed hours it's a bit of flexibility

Your error might have been calling it compressed hours.

@OneMoreTime23 thank that's insightful. In my work (private sector FTSE 500 equivalent) we encourage flexible working completely to the point where we are negating formal arrangements even being needed. Flexi is the norm. If someone needs to pick the kids up from school and make up the hours later then that's fine. The only time we are formally going through is proper compressed hours where the employee compresses a whole day into 4 to make sure that's viable for the business and wellbeing perspectives.

The second reason is tricky isn't it because that is penalising those who would benefit from compressed hours due to a cultural expectation for employees to work more than your paid hours. I can't see how that would stand up if tested.

@NotABeliever it's really pleasing to hear that your HR dept supported an employees statutory rights......

There is complete flexibility, yes. Almost to a fault.

I think this is so difficult, I read something ages ago about how men tend to be more comfortable with these " informal" arrangments whereas women make official flexible working requests. The whole thing thing is futher fraught with difficulty in the hybrid/flexible working post pandemic world.

This resonates with me a bit. I can see a few men on my team having very flexible arrangements in regards to childcare pick ups, appointments etc. I maybe to a fault wanted the Monday pick up formalised so I could be there consistently for pick ups and maybe do an activity.