Flexible working request, help!

Louise1684

Hoping someone could offer a little advice please. I'm due back to work in 3 months time after maternity leave and I need to put in my flexible working request very soon so as to give time to appeal in case they decline my request.
What I'm having trouble with is the line about the impact on the business and how I will overcome this with what I propose to work. Well I work in a hotel 40 hours, any shift between 7am and 11pm (7-3 or 3-11). 5 out of any 7 days. I want to return to work on a 16 hour contract and I am available to work 7-3 Mondays and Wednesdays and any shift Tuesday. I am not proposing new hours at work or cutting a shift short or anything like that. These are existing shifts. The dropping from 40 to 16 hours will be no problem, I'm one of only a couple who have full time contracts and they would prefer lots of part time workers instead. So how do I word my request with regards to the impact on business and how to overcome this? I don't foresee any impact with regards to the shifts and days I'm asking for, these are existing shifts that someone has to do. But do I really just say that, there's no negative impact, someone has to do them so why not me 😕. I don't think they'll take too kindly to me wording it like that lol. I guess the only impact I can think of is that I'm not available to work other shifts when the business may need me if they don't have any other staff available or during a busy period if they need extra bodies. What do I say to this?
I would really appreciate any help here. I've done lots of googling of course but all the information online seems to be about stuff like someone wanting to finish their work at 3 instead of 5 for example and my situation is quite different to that.
Thanks!

warby68

I don't think you can easily 'dress up' the business impact. There is one as you only proposed making yourself available for 4 possible shifts in a week out of 14 so very limited flexibility in a flexible needs type of business. What do the other part timers do? Whilst your employer isn't obliged to give everyone the same, it might give you a clue what they are open to and also whether your preferred contract seems a lot more 'favourable' than others.

You are ruling yourself out of weekend working which can often be an issue too.

I guess you can put down that you will not disrupt the existing shift pattern and are willing to continue to offer flexibility in that you will work any 2 shifts out of 4.

Masomnia

Have you spoken to your manager about it?

If they prefer having more part time staff rather than full timers then they might be happy enough just to change your hours without the need for a formal request.

If they want some full timers then I guess the impact on the business is that they lose that certainty of you working and bringing whatever it is you do to the role on a full time basis.

Louise1684

There's a lot of informal set working patterns in place. Some are only available evenings and weekends, mostly srudents. A single mother does only wed, thurs, fri. Another mother can only work fri, sat and sun. There is a man with poor English that only works mornings due to his language ability as better English is needed for the evening shifts. I need the certainty of my pattern agreed in writing though. I have 2 children both under 1 year old and it's proving difficult finding flexible childcare. With notice I could work other shifts but I'd need more than the 3-5 days notice that the new rota normally gives.

Undervalued

Louise1684 wrote: »

There's a lot of informal set working patterns in place. Some are only available evenings and weekends, mostly srudents. A single mother does only wed, thurs, fri. Another mother can only work fri, sat and sun. There is a man with poor English that only works mornings due to his language ability as better English is needed for the evening shifts. I need the certainty of my pattern agreed in writing though. I have 2 children both under 1 year old and it's proving difficult finding flexible childcare. With notice I could work other shifts but I'd need more than the 3-5 days notice that the new rota normally gives.

That could well give them a valid reason to decline your request. Remember they only have to consider it and it is not hard to find "business reasons" to justify saying no. It is one of these situations where you need to try and "sell" them the advantages rather than present them with problems to solve.

warby68

This sounds like a pretty flexible employer

You might get as far as fixed and formal for 16 hours but have to accept an informal arrangement for the precise pattern and go on 'trust'. If it works for others and these informal arrangements are adhered to for long periods, then no reason to think yours wouldn't be.

I work for a large financial institution and my actual working pattern is an informal arrangement so not that unusual.

Takeaway_Addict

Louise1684 wrote: »

There's a lot of informal set working patterns in place. Some are only available evenings and weekends, mostly srudents. A single mother does only wed, thurs, fri. Another mother can only work fri, sat and sun. There is a man with poor English that only works mornings due to his language ability as better English is needed for the evening shifts. I need the certainty of my pattern agreed in writing though. I have 2 children both under 1 year old and it's proving difficult finding flexible childcare. With notice I could work other shifts but I'd need more than the 3-5 days notice that the new rota normally gives.

The issue is that just because they have some flexibility for others doesn't mean they will be able to accept your very limited options you are giving them.

Can you really not provide more flexibility with your hours? Is your OH not able to ask for flexibility as well?

theoretica

Louise1684 wrote: »

There's a lot of informal set working patterns in place. Some are only available evenings and weekends, mostly srudents. A single mother does only wed, thurs, fri. Another mother can only work fri, sat and sun. There is a man with poor English that only works mornings due to his language ability as better English is needed for the evening shifts. I need the certainty of my pattern agreed in writing though. I have 2 children both under 1 year old and it's proving difficult finding flexible childcare. With notice I could work other shifts but I'd need more than the 3-5 days notice that the new rota normally gives.

Is your need different to the other two women you mention, and do they get called in for other shifts on a few days notice or not?

clairec79

one issue may be if they already have agreements with others for those shifts

For example you only want to do Monday and Wednesday mornings (and either shift on a Tuesday) - you said they already have 1 person who already works mornings only, and someone else who always works Wednesday

Although you may see the fact that they have given others more or less set shifts as an advantage, because you aren't asking for something new, it can also mean the employer has less flexibility. Years ago after my eldest was born I dropped my hours and wanted a particular day off (I think it was Wednesday but can't be sure - she's 16 now), and was told dropping to 30 hours wasn't a problem, but due to other part timers having their patterns set I could have either a Tuesday or a Thursday off

Undervalued

Takeaway_Addict wrote: »

Can you really not provide more flexibility with your hours? Is your OH not able to ask for flexibility as well?

Yes indeed.

That is similar to the question of which parent takes emergency unpaid leave when children are sick etc. Parents have a natural temptation to make it whichever of them get paid the least. However their respective employers are quite entitled to expect it to be shared equally!

ceh209

What has happened during your maternity leave - have other existing staff picked up your shifts, or have they employed someone temporarily, for example?

If other staff have picked up your shifts, are they have to continue with that if you were to work part time?

If there's people who are happy to do the shifts and they are existing shift patterns, I personally don't see why it would be a problem (but then again I'm not your employer!)