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

I know it's not very possible at the moment but I would consider prioritising driving when/if you can.

You have much more freedom when your entire working week doesn't depend on buses showing up.

You'll have tons more freedom in your non-working life too. I say this as someone who only started driving late in life and who uses public transport regularly as well!

The OP has not said that, the only background reason from the OP is :

Work (higher up than our big boss) are now saying they want us in 3 days a week.

“Want” might be due to an actual decision, but there are no facts on the basis of that decision
A request that could still easily be rejected is a bit more constructive than a number of the posts going directly to seeking a new job

The reason this is such a hot button topic across so many people is that a lot (not all) of employers either don’t adequately articulate WHY after years they want to change people’s patterns of employment (“collaboration”) or they are using it as an alternative to decent line management.

Working people allowed the employer into their home and rebuilt their lives into certain patterns to keep the economy alive in unprecedented times, to pretend this is some sort of act of spontaneous employer generosity that can now be removed on a whim is insulting. And to the poster who proudly announced they have declined every flexible working request: that isn’t the flex you think it is.

We still have a hybrid working policy, and it is half the week in the office. Whilst it was a weak argument when introduced, at least in the case of my employer, they did state why- the collaboration argument.

Your employer stating how wonderful they are in reducing carbon footprint is hollow if their unnecessary policy increases car journeys. Or Greenwash, to use another term.

Longer days in the office when your mum has DS?

Could you ask to do the majority of the day in the office and then make up the hours at home, either in the evening or just by doing a longer day on your working from home days?

I juggled single parent hood and working long before covid and the arrangement was my work first that I could leave for school pickup and I just did the extra hours one of the children were in bed. It worked fine for years I got all the meeting bits done during office hours and all the stuff that didn't need other people around I did once the children were in bed. It wasn't a relaxing lifestyle but it was a way to survive those years.

First post nailed it OP.

So much ifs and buts in this world, but it's just not suitable/sustainable.

Lots of employers are doing the same and to be honest I can see why as the hassle we get re hybrid working is unreal and it would be far easier to have everyone back 5 days. Your biggest mistake was buying a house so far away, and you’re not alone in doing that as many people did as they assumed the level of flexibility would stay. Employers are falling out of love with staff working at home and as someone who goes in 5 days (I choose to) I can 100% see the benefits of staff working together in the office, even if others don’t. It’s not just about output and I feel for all the young people trying to gain experience when they barely see their colleagues.

I think you need to think about a job closer to home. This set up doesn’t work well for you and as you say, you already have flexible working in place. You could ask to delay your increase until you have childcare, as there is a wait list. Not sure what else they can do but agree to that, as you can’t leave a child with no-one to pick them up. Or ask to leave earlier on the day you have no-one to help until you can get sorted. You’d have to then make those hours up.

I would apply for other jobs and see if you can get a flexible offer and use this as leverage to strike a better deal with your current employer.

Funny how they never add the impact of people using their heating and lighting at home though. If they keep the same office work ready for half the team, the other half are using power elsewhere which must be a massive increase.