Request to work part time with 2 little uns - advice please?

[TheCaretakerNadine]

I returned to work in December after having dc2. I initially had requested to work 3 days and my employer rejected this, for 2 reasons:

-a gappy week in a sector where things are always changing with short timelines for our projects may make it hard to keep up
-if they offer to me, they'll have to offer to those who have also asked in the past and been rejected

They offered the following as an alternative which I accepted: I ended up using my annual leave from mat leave, one per week, so I could effectively work a 3 day week till this leave ran out, and I am due to go back to my normal pattern of 4 days in July 2025. (After dc1, I returned 4 days a week, but it was hard balancing everything as I still felt full time and felt I needed more time with dc)

Since being back, I've had comments from senior team members at how they have no problem with this pattern and that it is working well.

July is coming up soon, and I am wondering if Im being cheeky in asking again, if I could work 3 days when my mat leave hols run out? Surely, the last 4 months have proved I can make it work. I have always allowed my employer to choose my non working days to suit the needs of the business. I understand it's ultimately their decision but I feel 3 days makes the balance more manageable, with a 1yr old and a 3yr old.

I know deep down, I will struggle with 4 days, that I may end up quitting work altogether and go back to my previous job in marketing which I gave up to pursue the finance field I am currently in

Any advice/comments welcome x

I think you may only be able to make one flexible working request a year, so if you returned in December you might need to wait.

You can make two flexible working applications per year https://www.gov.uk/flexible-working/applying-for-flexible-working.

However: do you know who actually made the decision last time? I would do my best to have internal discussions with decision-makers and get a 'soft yes' before making any formal application at this point. If the key decision maker is your line manager, who can see that it's working, that's very different from the key decision maker being someone in HR who doesn't want to say yes because then they'll be bothered with everyone else re-applying for 3 days too. Those senior staff might also be able to help influence a 'soft yes' so I'd try to keep as visible with them as you can.

If you can't get that 'soft yes' now, then I'd probably suggest waiting and giving 4 days a go in July for at least a month or so. If it really isn't working for you, then you can make the flexible working application then, even if you're unsure of the likely outcome. You won't have anything to lose at that point.

I would not make the request again. Probably give the 4 days a go and look for something else with more flexibility if it doesn’t work but it is a tricky market at the moment.

It's so hard with young dc
I've put my work on hold in a way until they start school. Just doing part time. Although 4 days sounds doable . At least you have 3 days off with them pw

Would they consider a job share. But maybe you can't lose another half days pay.

You can only ask, I agree 4 full days was hard on me, fortunately it was only a 10 month contract that I did and like you I used quite a few holiday days, also working on a Monday is best, due to bank holidays, when it ended I got a job doing 2 full days, which was way better.

I'm sorry OP that's annoying. In my org you're not allowed to use AL to create working patterns.

Anyway, when my DC were little and before I started working from home full time, I did quite a lot of working patterns. At one point I needed part time hours but didn't want to miss out on updates and meetings and wanted to still be a presence in the office, so I did 5 half days a week which fit in with DCs nursery. Would they be more amenable to your part time request if you were in more?