flexible working- different arrangements

[3011busyyear]

Hi,
the other post got me thinking. from my experience flexible working usually means full time or part time, and employers struggle to think outside of the box.
i work for a large public sector organization who promote fmaily friendly and flexible working policies but my request was declined...and i am bitter about it!

what have your experiences been? does it come down to your direct manager and their beliefs? how hard did you have to fight? do you feel you got a valid business reason why your request was declined? who hit the jackpot and has got a good work life balance?

 

[emzi]

I had to fight and I also work for the public sector, I was lucky that most of the team wanted to take voluntary redundancy so they really wanted me back.
I currently work flexi time so as long as I do 37.5 hours a week i can do them how I want. It works well as I do longer days after droping DD off at nursery at 8.15am and then take Tuesday afternoon off. My OH also has Friday's off so its helped to save a fortune in childcare costs and we enjoy spending the quality time together. I wouldnt give up, Public Sector is meant to be all about work life balance have you appealed or asked for a compromise?

 

[My_First]

Its interesting as I studied this for my masters, (HR), that flexible working can mean so much more. Compressed hours/days, flexi time, shift work, home working, freelance etc. etc. Really it should all be considered. If there is no genuine reason as to why you cant do 5 days into four, then it really should be considered...

And editted to say. you would have thought ps would be more accomadting than most!

 

[tracy1982]

Hi
I argue my case for full time but only 3 days at work, as many hours as possible and then the rest at home as and when i can fit them in. Will be very hard but i think worth it.

They seriously have to consider the work/life balance which in my case my work did!!!

I also work for a local authority. I was surprised that they went along with the only 3 days at work though xxx

 

[oliviarose]

I was lucky enough to have my part time request granted. I now work 22.5 hours. I did ask for set days too (not set times though) and that was refused. Which annoyed me a little, as there are a few people who do have set days on my department! But my manager told me that I need to remain flexible as the work load on our department fluctuates! If she tried a little harder, she could of given me set days but she isn't very nice!

So I now work different days every week and different hours. We only have roughly 1-2 weeks off duty at a time, so very hard to plan things.

 

[sarah_c]

I managed to get 37 hours compressed into 4 days and so did my partner. So I start early and finish early and he starts late and finishes late. It means one drops her off and one picks her up from nursery. Then I have her one day a week and my partner does the same so its only 3 days at nursery. It works ok but we are both pretty tired.

I asked for 3 days in office and one working from home or 25 hours a week over 3 days but both these got declined. They seem to imply that if my job was doable from home then it shouldn't be such a high grade which seemed a very backward view to me.

So I am looking for something else as its a long commute anyway but doubt I'll get flexible working at a new job