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Flex Schedule- Would you do this?

sweetsunnycsweetsunnyc member
in Working Moms

Hi All-

I had recently posted about our new manager opening up the discussion of flexible schedule requests. His only restrictions were no 4 10's, no work from home and no cutting back from full time (In our position, that's 40 hrs a week) I got so many great replies and a lot of posters told me that they worked 4 9's and one half day-

I can't do 4 9's, but I can do 2 10's (7-5), 2 8's  and one half day (7-11 on Wednesday). I need to submit this request tomorrow and I have been told that there is a good chance that it will be approved. I'm excited about it now, but I often jump in to things without thinking it through and then I feel overwhelmed- SO, I was hoping to get some feedback- does this schedule look reasonable or are the 2 10's too much? Will the half day make it worth it? I know that I am a complete stranger, but just hoping to get some perspective :)

 

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Re: Flex Schedule- Would you do this?

  • ss+elss+el member
    There is a company here that works half day on Fridays as their standard. If it weren't worth it, I can't imagine they'd do it. Having it in the middle of the week sounds even better to me, productivity-wise. If you feel there was something you left hanging because of the short day, you'd only have to wait until morning to get back to it, instead of worrying about it all weekend.
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  • banks81banks81 member
    I think it depends what your end goal is. Are you trying to get a half day so you have a day to run errands, etc? If so, then I think it would be beneficial. This is all assuming your day care situation works with the 10 hour days too. I would also think through your company culture. If you do this, will you ever get stuck at work on your half day for meetings or to get something done? Ultimately, I see a lot of pros if everything else works with your schedule.
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  • jf198400jf198400 member
    Personally 10hr days are just too long for me, I would get too exhausted that I'd waste my half day napping. I'd rather just work 8hr days and run some errands on my lunch break.
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  • VORVOR member
    jf198400 said:

    Personally 10hr days are just too long for me, I would get too exhausted that I'd waste my half day napping. I'd rather just work 8hr days and run some errands on my lunch break.

    This is where I fall. 10 hr days are LONG. I only did them before I had Ds. I don't know if the longer days ( and time away from him) would really make a 1/2 day off worth it.

    For your boss supposedly being open to a flexible schedule, he places a LOT of restrictions.

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  • snicksnacksnicksnack member

    I agree that an end game is important are you doing it just to do it. It sounds like they are not being too flexible on being flexible.   Personally I am a fan of the traditional 5 8s and flex when needed, which is what my company allows.  Right now I am working a special schedule where I have every other Wednesday off due to my daughter’s daycare situation.  To make that happen I generally work 2 tens a week.  Tuesdays were always a ten hour day because I have to travel  to our Va. site.  I work 6 to 4 or 5 but I am spending from 6-8 in the car and same in the afternoon making it not terrible.  Wednesdays I work 8-6 no lunch break (due to meetings I have to eat at my desk on Wednesdays.  Wednesday is a long day and I am happy when my schedule allows me to work a normal day or do some 9s to make up the time for my every other Wednesday.  On nights when I get home after 5:30 I feel like my day is lost so I think front loading the hours as you have suggested is the way to go.

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  • emberlee3emberlee3 member
    Can you do it for a trial period? 

    I hate my commute, so I would arrange my hours to minimize time spent in traffic.  Not sure what your goals are.
    DS born 8/8/09 and DD born 6/12/12.
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  • *sparky**sparky* member

    This would depend on a few factors for me.  Is your DH able to drop off/pick up/make dinner, etc. on your 10-hr days?  How long is your commute?  What is your goal in this?  Is it really feasible to leave right at 5, and right at 11 on your half day, or will this creep into longer hours?  For example, at my company, people work until whenever but I have a PT schedule and have to leave at 4 on certain days.  Well, people know I leave at 4 so they come see me at 3:45 with questions, that sometimes leave me stuck in the office until 4:30. 

    If you have a long commute, I think the 10-hour days are too long and ultimately will not compensate for the one half-day a week.  Also, if I were to do something like this, my DH would have to pick up the slack on my 10-hour days and if that were not possible, there is no way I could do it.  I agree with the PP's who said there is a lot of inflexibility for a supposedly flexible schedule, and really does not seem worth it to me. 

     

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  • jlaOKjlaOK member
    I don't think the 7-5 days would be too long but like other PP's it would depend on commute time, who is doing daycare drop off/pick up, who cooks dinner those days, etc.

    I'm also curious as to why your boss is placing so many restrictions on what your flex schedule can be.
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  • sweetsunnycsweetsunnyc member
    Thanks. everyone for the great feedback. My husband works from home most days and teaches college courses a few days and nights per week, so his schedule is sporadic. That being said, we save a lot on childcare as he is home quite a bit during the day. On the Wednesday, half day that I have requested, he would be home during the day and teach in the afternoon, so that would work out well as I would be home by 11:30. At this point, I'm already working until 5, so it's just a matter of going in earlier- But yes- they 10 hour days have me a little stressed. I do love the idea of the trial period, so I will suggest this if it gets approved.
    And I agree- for the supposed flex schedule, it is so restricted.
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  • sweetsunnycsweetsunnyc member
    Oh- I forgot to mention, my commute is only about 25 minutes each way and I work in a "country" area so the traffic is not bad. I used to commute an hour each way when I worked at the main campus and I would have never considered the 10 hour shifts. I would have never been home.

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  • glawglaw member
    I would not do it. Getting ready etc for just a half day of work would defeat the purpose of "flex" for me. I would want the whole day off. Can you suggest 4-9s for 8 days in a 2 week period and 1 regular 8 hr day, then have the 10th day off? Basically getting one day off every other week? Plus does 7-5 account for your lunch break? At my work it would be 7-530 or 630-5.
    BFP#1 10/17/11, m/c due to SCH 11/21/11 @ 8w4d; BFP#2 2/26/12, baby girl arrived 11/1/12; BFP#3 12/3/13, EDD: 8/18/14.

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  • VORVOR member
    mrsdelcastillo said:

    And I agree- for the supposed flex schedule, it is so restricted.
    Seriously, it's not that far off from "Yes!  I support flexible schedules.  As long as you're here 8 hours a day from 9 - 5!". 
    :P
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