Moving to a 4 Day Week

Cotta

Hi All,


I'm due to get married this year and next year in February due to a few changes in my circumstances I hope to be able to pay off my mortgage in full.


I will have been in my job at that stage for 3.5 years and I am tempted to opt to do four days each week rather than my current five. Of course I am not sure if it will be approved by my employer, however I am interested in hearing what others think about such a move and perhaps some have done a similar thing, if so how did it go?


Thanks in advance

Savvy_Sue

I changed from 5 short days to 4 'normal' length ones and it works very well for me, I'd never go back to f/t again.

Do you want to do compressed hours (ie same hours over 4 days) or reduced hours?

Either way, start thinking about the business case for your employer.

How will your work be covered on the fifth day? Will it wait, or will someone else have to pick it up? If the latter, how will the practical implications work out? Is there someone ready and willing to pick it up?

This is a flexible working request, so google that to see how to make your case.

It may well be offered (if at all) on a trial basis. Remember that once it becomes 'fixed', you don't have the right to go back to your original hours. You can ask, but you don't have the right.

Comms69

When you say 4 day week, does that mean in effect going from 8 hours a day to 10, or cutting hours down?

agrinnall

I reduced from 37 hours over 5 days to 29.6 hours over 4 days a couple of years ago. I had my contract changed to say that my working days are Tuesday - Friday except in case of business need, and I make sure that I don't go near my computer on Mondays unless I've actually swapped to work that day instead of another one later in the week. I work from home, and so far it's been fine for me. One of the things I did when making the flexible working request was outline what I could achieve in 4 days compared to 5 and suggest some ways in which my employer could get that extra work done if it was necessary.

Ozzuk

I did it, changed from 5 days to Mon-Thur 8-5, so I'm about 3 hours down. Its the best thing I every did

The request was a lot of work, I explained the reasons why I wanted to change, I outlined the impact to the team, I outlined the business benefits - effectively constructing a business case. A few others have followed my lead as well, it really does make a huge difference to work life balance.

System

Four things to consider having done this:


1) In my role, I would still be expected to complete the job (which has always taken five days) into the four, so no less work.


2) Unusual to be granted back five days if you wanted them.


3) All your colleagues are still at work on your day off, and they're used to relying on you for five days, so think nothing of contacting you on your new day off.


4) If your day off is a Monday, kiss goodbye to your bank holidays.

Soot2006

I work Monday-Thursday contracted week (full time employment) and available if needed on Friday for meetings or sometimes work from home Fridays. I love it! My boss hasn't noticed any difference in my productivity as I always get the job done and that's the most important thing for us (productivity always hours here), but I've been so much happier. I've been doing this a few years now, so I resent the odd Friday I'm actually needed.

Comms69

andydownes123 wrote: »

Four things to consider having done this:


1) In my role, I would still be expected to complete the job (which has always taken five days) into the four, so no less work.


2) Unusual to be granted back five days if you wanted them.


3) All your colleagues are still at work on your day off, and they're used to relying on you for five days, so think nothing of contacting you on your new day off.


4) If your day off is a Monday, kiss goodbye to your bank holidays.

If they form part of the holiday allowance they would still be paid (pro rata'd)

Gavin83

andydownes123 wrote: »

1) In my role, I would still be expected to complete the job (which has always taken five days) into the four, so no less work.

I think this is the biggest risk in reducing your hours. You'll still be expected to do the same amount of work, just for less pay. I even expect in some companies the individual will be expected to do unpaid overtime, potentially taking them back to their original hours but getting 20% less pay for doing so.

andydownes123 wrote: »

3) All your colleagues are still at work on your day off, and they're used to relying on you for five days, so think nothing of contacting you on your new day off.

Maybe just turn the phone off/ignore it?

MatyMoo

I managed to do this as I went from being a fixed contract employee to a fully employed member of staff by proving that I was able to do the work in 4 days and that it wasn’t a full time position, I also mentioned the cost savings to them. They were happy that I had been honest and wanted an assurance that I would be happy to swap my Friday off for another day if I was needed at peak periods like month end.

I have now been doing it for a year and it is working brilliantly. I know ahead of time which Fridays I will be needed, 6 this year, and they are in my boss’s diary, we agree when I will take the time back to suit both of us and it means I can have a few 4 day weekends without it affecting my holidays

Cotta

It's difficult to know if this would work for me, the workload is heavy and while I am contracted to do 9-5 many of us work long after 5 pm unpaid and it has left it very difficult to plan a life outside of work on a daily basis. A 4 day week was one thing I was looking at in the new year short of handing in my notice.