Work want us back in the office more

[RoeDeer86]

Hi. For context, I am a single parent to a 6 year old. Work four days a week, 28 hours. Paid just above minimum wage for a what I’d say is a fairly skilled job. Hybrid working - full time staff do 2 days in the office and 3 at home. To save me having to do 1.5 office days pro rata, my boss agreed I could do 1 office day one week, 2 days the next (alternating). My mum picks up DS 2 days a week, can’t do anymore than that, nor do I expect her to.

Work (higher up than our big boss) are now saying they want us in 3 days a week. That would be pro rata for me, which is the equivalent of 2.4 days a week. I’m guessing they’d accept me doing 2 days one week, 3 the next.

My problem is this. I don’t drive and live a good 1.5hrs on public transport from the office (don’t shoot me, I bought a house where I could afford it and after Covid thought about leaving but then they let us work in a hybrid model which currently works well). I’ve juggled hours so I can pick DS up three times a week. He goes to breakfast and after school club on the days I WFH. Breakfast club starts at 8am after school club finishes at 4:30pm. My working hours vary very slightly each day, they’re usually 8am-4pm. There’s literally no way I could get into the office in time and do the school run and pick up. Oftentimes my bus doesn’t turn up on my office days and it’s taken four hours to get home before.

There is one childminder at DS’ school and she’s always full. No other minders or wraparound provision beyond that.

Apparently this 3 day rule will apply to everyone, but I really don’t know what to do and it will literally be impossible to do what they’re asking.

I did think about reducing my hours but that will impact our family significantly as I’m the only earner. Plus doing 3 days means I’d have to make up 0.4 of a day somewhere.

Can anyone offer any advice, please?

Many thanks

That isn’t the law, no. They have to make “reasonable” adjustments. Not everything is reasonable.

Is it worth all the hassle if you’re only earning slightly over minimum wage? Would you be better off looking for something locally or are your earnings likely to significantly increase in the future?

This is good advice. Plus you know they are DBS checked.

Your employer has been very flexible in enabling you to work different hours on each day to accommodate childcare needs.

In your shoes, if I was on barely above NMW and had been there for quite a few years and genuinely was sure of my value and high regard… then I would instead be focussing my efforts on increasing my salary and position rather than trying to squeeze out yet more flexibility from my employer.

And if you don’t fell you can do that… then you need to accept the job is not right for you.

Definitely looking into flexible working before doing anything drastic. You can have more than one 'thing' - ie working different hours on different days, plus wfh. My company recently went to 3 days in office and alot of flex working requests were made and approved afterwards

I did similar at nursery age. A young lady used to come to my house for 6.30am and get my daughters up, have breakfast with them and take them to work with her. My ex husband would then leave for work ( I was long gone as cabin crew most days)
it suited all of us for a good few years

IME if a company that previously did WFH as standard now wants people back in the office, it's because of financial difficulties and are looking to cut staff.

If the previous arrangement suited you well and is now changing to the extent that the new requirements will lead to considerable hardship and your boss will not negotiate, it's time to look for a new job.

I would take this as an opportunity to broaden your horizons.

Could you work your 4 days over 5, so that you would roughly 5.5 hours a day?

Agree. It's a cheap way of reducing headcount. Have had a few friends in this situation. They know the likelihood is that some people will be unable to do the days required, and will therefore have to resign which saves them the cost of redundancies.

I'd stick a flex working request in, but at the same time see if there's anything new out there that would suit your situation, in case your current firm decline the request.

New job

I theory
the fact is the business has already decided that there is a business reason for staff to be in the office so the request will be refused
I and hubby own our own compnay - we have had requests every one of which has been refused

On what grounds? You cannot blanket refuse all requests. Each one has to be considerer on its own merits and cannot be refused without a legal basis.
You sound proud of making things harder for your employees.

If your contract had you home based, they could not enforce you being in the office. I recently went through this with my employer saying everyone back to the office. I showed them my contract, I am still fully home based.
I hope they gave you redundancy.

This. Not sure they can claim business reasons if youve been working that pattern forever. Id offer to do 2 days under a flexible working request.

Have you spoken to your line manager? I work hybrid but at my company, line managers have discretion they can apply to time in office requirements for people with caring responsibilities.

Edit

Thought you were responding to op

Most companies allow people to submit flexible working requests, for a number of reasons. They don’t have to accept them, but they will consider all reasonable requests.

I think it is perfectly reasonable for you to make a request to ask if you can do two days per week. This falls 10% short of the 60% they are asking, but explain your reasons why you are asking.

If you were asking for 100% WFH, that’d be completely unreasonable, but you’re showing willing by continuing with two days. Your personal circumstances make it difficult to increase to three.

ChatGPT will be great with helping to draft an email for this.

I hope you find a solution that works for you and your DS. Being a single parent is tough, and managing the logistics of school around work is hard too. I hope you manage to figure it out xx

Time to look for a better paid job

I had arranged to go back to work three days a week, half hour train journey then 20 mins bus or walk. In practice, it was never that seamless and I had to give it an hour and 20 mins. Which meant being late for work in the mornings and late for school in the evenings. In the end, I reframed my three 7.5 hr days into four shorter days to make up the same office commitment. Not ideal, cost more in fares and after achool club but it did work. So
much
less stress

I’m not sure you have to do this anymore?

That would mean more days in the office and higher travel costs?

True, but from a childcare perspective it would work.

I’m with the find a new job team. There are part time jobs out there, what are big employers in your area? NHS? university? Any large industry?
id get myself on LinkedIn, brush up your cv, check local large business websites, sign up for job search engines and find that new job
good luck

Don’t waste your energy lamenting why they want this and you get more done at home and how inconvenient it all is. None of this will help you and it won’t go over well with them.

Be proactive and positive. Work out what you CAN do (there’s some good suggestions on this thread) and present it to them in a positive way, emphasising how it will mean you will perform your role well.

They might not go for it but I think a positive approach will go a long way and you have nothing to lose at this point.

I think its tricky as work want to implement what is best for their business and in fairness your commute and childcare are not their problem. Its a real Covid issue where staff feel they have the right to work from home as its just more convenient for them. To be honest if I was just earning around the minimum wage, I would consider looking for something closer to home that offers you the flexibility you need and hopefully a higher salary.