4 day work week - reduced pay, reduced leave & obviously ensuring a slightly reduced work load?

J

Jane

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Hi all, I’m thinking of requesting a four day work week. What are the things I need to consider besides reduced pay, reduced leave & obviously ensuring a slightly reduced work load?

I want to request Mondays as it suits me regarding my family set up (helping my parents etc) but I fear I might get push back for a Monday. Still I will ask!

What are people’s experiences of going from a 5 day to a 4 day work week, in general?

Anything else you think is worth mentioning?
 
I did that for a while, depends a bit on type of job, I found that the work I did was just left for me to do on Tuesday! So basically I ended up doing 5 days work in 4 but with the reduction in pay. Now if it's a job where the work has to be completed on the day, can't think of an example, let's say a hairdresser where obviously you do the appointments on the day and they don't carry over then it works but some office based jobs where completing the task on the day may not be necessary then I found other staff just told customers call back on one of the days I was there and stuff was just left for me.

It was great from a family point of view and I always remember my daughter saying she loved coming home from school that day as she could see me in the kitchen as she walked up the path. Sad really but that's life!

Anyway I gave it up after a year as nice and all as it was I was just being made a mug of really giving 5 days work for 4 days pay, working 4 longer days to complete the same hours would be a better option if available. But again it all depends on the type of work/job.
 
If you have children under 12 (or check you company policy, some offer a higher age) then try to use your parental leave first. It means you accrue holidays on a full time basis rather than the 80% if you had a 4 day week contract. Of the public holidays we get, 5 of them fall on a Monday, plus assume you will take 4 weeks annual leave, you won't be using 52 days a year so it could last a while and it is easy enough just to go back to full time if you need.

And unless you want to fall into the 5 days work in 4 issue discussed above, you need to have a clear plan for how you will reduce your workload. This should also help in getting the permission as you will be giving a solution to your manager rather than a problem. If you work has rules around parental leave like it must be taken in blocks, then consider using your AL for Mondays and swapping your normal AL for the unpaid blocks.
 
Jane said:
Anything else you think is worth mentioning?
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If you pay any tax @ 40% then it will cost you less than 20% of your nett pay to go 4 days. I would want to calculate that myself. Also I want to work out exactly how it might affect pension/AVC. You should be entitled to pay for Bank Holiday Monday's or a day off in lieu. Methinks that you'll do enough hours to ensure that you are entitled to min. 20 days annual leave. Unless it's stressfully busy I wouldn't be too concerned about extra work over the 4 days, days might zip along. Personally I like the idea of a Wednesday off to break up the working week and simplify things re public holidays.
 
michaelm said:
If you pay any tax @ 40% then it will cost you less than 20% of your nett pay to go 4 days. I would want to calculate that myself. Also I want to work out exactly how it might affect pension/AVC. You should be entitled to pay for Bank Holiday Monday's or a day off in lieu. Methinks that you'll do enough hours to ensure that you are entitled to min. 20 days annual leave. Unless it's stressfully busy I wouldn't be too concerned about extra work over the 4 days, days might zip along. Personally I like the idea of a Wednesday off to break up the working week and simplify things re public holidays.
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I've actually been considering requesting flexible working and cutting down to 4 days and taking a mid week day such as Wednesday. I feel Fridays or Mondays would just merge into w,e chores whereas a midweek day you can just get stuff done.
I know of someone who cut their hours to 90% across 4 days which works great for them but id be looking at just working 4 regular days.
 
My OH works 4 days a week (takes Fridays off). She definitely suffers from the 5 days work in 4, especially in her current role. She uses parental leave so still gets full AL entitlement etc. Obviously her pension is reduced however we get reduced childcare costs. We considered this approach better then looking for a 4 day contract due to AL and future potential redundancy.
 
Also if you are unfortunate to fall ill, you can cancel your PL and will be paid sick pay on a 5 day contract.
 
TRS30 said:
My OH works 4 days a week (takes Fridays off). She definitely suffers from the 5 days work in 4, especially in her current role. She uses parental leave so still gets full AL entitlement etc. Obviously her pension is reduced however we get reduced childcare costs. We considered this approach better then looking for a 4 day contract due to AL and future potential redundancy.
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Ditto on this one except a Monday.

Probably company specific but I have seen it in company policy related to bonuses that if you are on leave >X days in the year then any potential bonus would be prorated. It included all types of leave and I think it was something like 60 days. Just worth checking if you are "banking" on a full bonus.

Dr Strangelove said:
Second all of the above about doing five days work for four days pay.

Avoid Monday if possible. You get several of these already as public holidays.

Friday is generally easier to manage around workload and colleagues find it easier to remember.
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Taking the Monday (If unpaid) is a useful way to maintaining a 4 day week for the full month but getting paid for the bank holidays. The way we look at it (E.g June) is that my partner will have 4 Monday's off in the month but it will only cost her 3 days.
 
Scoobydoobydoo said:
Ditto on this one except a Monday.

Probably company specific but I have seen it in company policy related to bonuses that if you are on leave >X days in the year then any potential bonus would be prorated. It included all types of leave and I think it was something like 60 days. Just worth checking if you are "banking" on a full bonus.
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She has been doing it for 10 years now and fortunately no impact on bonus, pay increasing and promotion.
 
Hi Jane, just curious what area u work in, public/private sector? I work in public sector (HSE) & approx 3 years ago I reduced my hours and now I don't work Wednesday. It has worked out great for me. Breaks up the week nicely & if I want to fly somewhere, Wed often cheap day to go. Obviously I get 4/5 holidays etc. Surprised some of the more negative comments on here. Focus on what work/life balance you are aiming for. Yes my pension will be smaller but I try to offset that with AVC's. As a lot of HSE workplaces are quite toxic environments, I find working 4 days out of 5 has been a Godsend in many ways.
 
TRS30 said:
She has been doing it for 10 years now and fortunately no impact on bonus, pay increasing and promotion.
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That's over 500 days parental leave so if you only have one or two children not really an option for most at 26 weeks per child
 
messyleo said:
That's over 500 days parental leave so if you only have one or two children not really an option for most at 26 weeks per child
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One of the benefits of having 3 kids :)

With maternity leave and working some Friday's for project deadlines etc, she still has plenty left.
 
Don't forget that parental leave applies to both parents. If kids are school age half days cover a lot of their home time. You can really make it stretch out if you plan it correctly. And I have on more than one occasion heard parents mention the extra parental leave is a factor in deciding on a third child if they couldn't feel they could logistically manage everything on a full time week!!
 
Thanks everyone for all of your replies. A lot of food for thought.

No parental leave option for me hence I knew it would be reduced leave, pay etc. I’m also private sector for those asking. I did consider the longer working day (they have done that for others before) but I really don’t want that.

I’d be acutely aware of the potential for having work waiting for me & falling into the 5 days in 4 trap, so I will be vocal about that & some of the things we do are time sensitive but most are not.

Honestly really appreciate the feedback, never considered the Wednesday option but could see how that would work too. I think I’m more wanting a complete break (hence 3 days in a row) but I’m not 100% closed on the mid week option either. I need to give it a bit more thought. I also want to ask some of my colleagues in work too, who have reduced days, what they think of their off days etc.

Fridays tend to be a bit of slower day (mostly) in our place so I wouldn’t take it for that reason.

@Scoobydoobydoo, that was also my thinking on the Mondays or getting them back as leave (as I’ll be losing some leave). I feel I might get a bit of push back on the Monday option, but you don’t ask, you don’t get!! It would just suit me much better overall really.

@Sunnygirl69, definitely!. It is a work/life balance for me & being there for my ageing parents. Trying to fit their appts in etc has been tough & something has to give a little. I’m working a long time too so a change is needed :)
 
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I moved to a four-day working week, I also wanted a better break from work and went for Monday as my free day rather than Friday.

In terms of work life balance, there is a world of difference between 5 days on/two days off and 4 days on/3 days off.

You have a long weekend every weekend and when you head back in on Tuesday morning it's only 4 working days to your next long weekend.

I also found Sunday feels completely different when you are free on Monday.

If you are not working to strict Friday afternoon deadlines then I think you should not over focus on 5 days work for 4 days pay.
 
planck said:
I moved to a four-day working week, I also wanted a better break from work and went for Monday as my free day rather than Friday.

In terms of work life balance, there is a world of difference between 5 days on/two days off and 4 days on/3 days off.

You have a long weekend every weekend and when you head back in on Tuesday morning it's only 4 working days to your next long weekend.

I also found Sunday feels completely different when you are free on Monday.

If you are not working to strict Friday afternoon deadlines then I think you should not over focus on 5 days work for 4 days pay.
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Yes, I think this is how I feel about it too.
 
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