Does anybody have a flexible work schedule? Does it really work?

[kozachka]

The company I work for is getting acquired and my function would be eliminated. I was offered to stay on but the regular hours for the new position/industry are very heavy, not the kind of hours I'd be willing to work now that I have DS. Just to give you an idea of how crazy the hours can be, a colleague of mine working in a more junior position than I would have been screamed at by her project leader and accused of being lazy for leaving at 9:30 PM, not having finished her assignment. Since I am a valuable (and highly educated) employee they would be willing to offer me a flexible work arrangement, i.e. 75%-80% of a standard salary for this position in exchange for being able to leave the office at 6PM. I am wondering whether such an arrange can work and what challenges I should be aware of.

ETA subject

[pb&j]

I work 80%, and I really like it. However, I do pretty much the same amount of work as when I was full time, I just have less time to do it in. Less surfing, less socializing, I rarely take a lunch break. It sounds like the company you'd be working for might tout its "flexible" hours, but would still expect a lot from you. My workplace is very laid back, and I'm not pushed to do more than I can do in 32 hrs/wk.


-Ry,
mom to Max the one year old
and my girl in heaven

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/37124.gif

[kozachka]

Thank you for sharing your experience, Ry. That's one of the things I am concerned about, meaning that I'd have to do the same amount of work (or more) for less money.

Also, I'd be starting in a new industry for me, which means I'll probably take longer to do the same thing as somebody who's worked in this position before.

To be fare, this company is not touting flexible hours for all employees, they are just trying to accomodate me. I am the only mom among profession staff, the only other mom is our finance manager who does leave at 6 PM (but occasionally takes work home) and whose kids go to school already. I know from the company's web-site that some of their offices in other countries offer flexible work schedule but no more details.

[hez]

I have an 80% schedule-- I don't work Fridays. Another friend was on a 75% schedule-- she worked 6 hours a day.

It is much, much easier for me to stick to 80% by not working Fridays than it was for my friend to have the discipline to leave at 2pm every day. There was always something that came up at the last minute that was an emergency. I, on the other hand, get to leave someone else's # on my voicemail on Fridays, and that person screens things for me to figure out if they really, truly need to bug me on my day off. 95% of the time I don't get called at home.

I would check on your benefits arrangements if you're using the ones your company offers. Mine are paid at 80%-- so I would pay the normal employee portion, as well as 20% of the employer's portion. DH works at the same company, so we were able to do the family plan under his full-time benefits, but we have friends who are primary breadwinners for whom this is a major consideration.

[Fairy]

Hi Ry. I've been at "one of" the largest business consulting companies in the world for 13 years. I've seen alot in my position. The "deal" you're being offered, frankly, sounds not remotely good. I work part time 60%. I work two of those days at home and the other day in the office -- when I'm able to. The culture of my company is to promote a life/work balance. That's what a flexible schedule is all about. Working 80% but still leaving at 6pm is not what I'd call flexible. I still make the full 60% of my full time salary, I get full benefits, and when I went down to part time, ther was no pay cut involved. Certainly, I don't make the same amount of money, but say if I made $100/year full time, when I went down to 60%, then my salary simply reflects that 60%. If I went back full, the salary would, too.

I work very hard. In fact, I tend to get more work done and am more concientious at home than my office days! For one thing, I have more time on my home days, rather than some of that being commute time, and for another, I am so grateful to have this arrangement that it's not in me to slack off.

Yes, I know that sounds ridiculous considering that I post on the BBB!

Now, all that said, I do work in teh evenings quite a bit and also on my off days I check email quite a bit, reply to it, and do a conference call here and there. So, I like to say I'm "mostly part time."

Hope you find something that works out for you!

[kozachka]

Fairy, would you mind sharing the name of your company with me privately? The company that is acquiring ours is one of the most prestigious management consulting companies in the world, and it also promotes life/work balance. Makes me wonder if it's the same company.

My personal e-mail address is elena undescore ropaeva at yahoo dot com. I'd love to find out more about your arrangement and what challenges you face with it.

You are right leaving at 6PM and getting 80% of the compensation does not sound right.

[kozachka]

>I would check on your benefits arrangements if you're using
>the ones your company offers. Mine are paid at 80%-- so I
>would pay the normal employee portion, as well as 20% of the
>employer's portion. DH works at the same company, so we were
>able to do the family plan under his full-time benefits, but
>we have friends who are primary breadwinners for whom this is
>a major consideration.

Thank you for pointing this out. We still don't know if the company would pay for our health insurance, we did not get any coverage before. So far we were told that if the company were to provide health coverage than our salaries would be reduced accordingly. Considering that health care is relatively inexpensive (free to kids) where I am now (in Eastern Europe) and that the best policy would cost about $300/year, maybe $500, and that even when I do get sick I use a private doctor (who charges $20 per home visit per person) since we've burned using hospital doctors, I would rather have a higher salary.

One benefit that I hope to enjoy is 25 working days vacation per year :). Gotta love Europe. That said it is not uncommon for my colleauges to only use 50% of their vacation time.

[rlu]

I'm a little late to the game here, but I think the PPs are correct pointing out leaving at 6pm is not cutting back to 80% unless you come in late.

I work 30hrs/week and took a corresponding paycut, but still have the same benefits, co-pay, etc., I had when I was full-time (except PTO cut to 3/4 as well).

I work in the office MWF 9-5:30 with 30 minute lunch. I rarely take that lunch though instead using the time here to catch up on the time I don't get done at home. I do have problems getting out of the office though since 30 hours really isn't enough time to get my work done. I work at home TTH for 3 hours each which theorectically (sp?) is 1 hour the night before, 1+ hour during DS nap, and then make-up time that night. Doesn't work out that way - we have no place for me to work at home except the living room so I can only work when DS is sleeping (plus that's when I do the dishes, laundry, talk to my husband, upload pictures to web, etc.) and the days he doesn't nap I'm frantic trying to read email while distracting him (or plopping him in his crib as a last resort).

On the other hand, I love being home when DS is actually awake, something that didn't always happen when I was working full-time. Trade-offs, ya know?

[hez]

Yup-- I only get 80% of my vacation. It doesn't bother me-- it's still the same # of weeks in the end :)