Struggling with business case for part time working

[princessx]

Hi there,

I'm trying to submit my request for flexible working this week. Currently on mat leave. The thing is I don't really know how to make a business case for me working less.

Basically you pay me less and you get less work done. Paying me less isn't a big incentive for the company at the mo as they got extra funding to grow the business.

I'm asking to do 4 short days instead of 5 full days. I'm a marketing manager so I should really know how to put a good spin on things!

I'll offer to be flexible and contactable etc, and to make sure everything gets done. I just can't work out what is the incentive to them apart from paying me less.

I've heard people say you get to retain a senior member of staff, but that sounds like I'm saying I won't come back if you don't give me it.

Any tips or examples you can share??

[Stubbed56]

I had the same problem, but actually it wouldn't have mattered what I put down as they'd already decided i couldn't go part time anyway. If you've mentioned it to your boss then they might have a view, maybe you can ask them for input? My boss and I wrote my request together but I pretty much knew from the start that they'd decided no.

[chanie44]

Focus on how it won't have a negative impact on your work.

For example:
Working 4 short day

[chanie44]

Sorry my baby hit my phone before I finished.

Examples
Working 4 days means I am in the office for the majority of the time.

I will be at work during the 'core' hours of business, when most of me colleagues are in.

XXX day tends to be quiet anyway and it will only be one day before I am back in the office.

I can organise my work around the day I don't work, so there will be minimal disruption to my clients.

[princessx]

Ooh great - thanks, will type this up now.

I briefly mentioned it to my boss in jan but only submitting request now so hoping he is still agreeable!

[lovefreelance]

There have been some great studies in the US that show that flexible working has many, many benefits for businesses. This page outlines some of them:

www.talentedladiesclub.com/all-help/why-flexible-work-makes-good-business-sense/

Reading them (and the report the page links to) may help you to round out your application.

You've had good advice already. To add to that I'd say try to anticipate every negative thing your company could question you on and find a positive solution. Good luck :)

[princessx]

Great - thanks for the link!

[Poosnu]

Possible (perhaps tenuous) positive things for the business:

• employer gets to retain an experienced and valuable member of staff.
  
• you will continue to be able to do your job well, rather than potentially exhausted and stressed by combining your previously hours with increased responsibility at home.
  
• less absence due to sickness.
  
• allowing you to have a working pattern which fits around your childcare means you will remain committed and loyal with a real motivation for the arrangement to work.
  
  You must then review all the reasons why your employer could legitimately refuse a request (there are about 8 grounds in law) and ensure that your application negates each of these grounds. What can you do / offer to ensure that none of these grounds is valid?

[mymatemax]

be very careful, all that ends up happening in reality is that they expect full time work but pay you to work part time.
Unless they are going to replace the hours you drop with someone else (job share)it really will be hard work for you.

Job share has lots of benifits, different strenghts & skill set, holidya & sickness cover, increased cover etc etc

[KristinaFranziska]

You've had some fantastic advice here!

Also, is there anyone you could suggest to promote to cover the extra day? or someone you could job share with?

Posturing yourself this way is looking at things from a management perspective and shows that you are solution oriented. Also it shows that you value yourself and your contribution.

I feel that looking at salary saved is not really part of the equation unless the organisation is actively seeking to prune. What they most likely want is value for money in terms of skills available and progress achieved.

Could you offer to train someone in something, thereby adding value to the overall quality of staff? And also positioning yourself as the expert?I suggest you think in terms of value added rather than voids created when making your case.

Think of the negatives and turn them around with solutions. Good luck!