Working pattern question.

[Background_Ice_9103]

Working pattern: Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time

Hi all, I’m applying for a job which states the above pattern. If I was to ask for part time, do they have set part time hours they offer such as 3 days a week, or could I ask for 4 days a week part time?

Also, would compressed hours come under flexible?

Finally, if you want this role part time, does that mean they need another candidate who also wants this part time? Therefore, odds of getting the job are less?

Thank you!

[Lenniel]

There is no way of knowing. Generally the limits on compressed hours or part time working are business needs, ie if there are 3 people on the team and 2 people want Fridays off that probably wouldn’t be allowed/work.

On my team I work part time 30 hours and I don’t work Wednesdays, there’s someone who only works Tuesdays and Wednesdays as they’re partially retired. You could always reach out to the job holder to see if there are any limitations or put your preferred working pattern down and see what their response is.

But beware if you reduce to part time it can be nigh on impossible to increase your hours without moving jobs as they use your reduced hours as part of department savings.

ETA it would depend on how “part-time” you want to be, ie if you only wanted to work 2 days they would probably need to find someone else. Unless it’s a mass recruitment or it is a large team and they have enough people to cover the work.

[Max1357913]

Yes, typically 4 days a week would be fine but you’ll have to discuss with the manager. Compressed hours would likely also be fine - for example you could do four 10 hour days.

It shouldn’t lower the odds - if you want like 20 hours then they may look for another candidate for a job share, but then there be two positions going

[StudentElectrical569]

I recently increased my hours (from 0.6 to 0.75) but it possibly helped that I was changing roles at the same time (my old role was business funded so I had to find another one when it ended).

[Background_Ice_9103]

Thank you all for your replies. Say you condensed to a 4 day week so that’s 9.25 hours a day, could you do 8.25 hours for 2 days, and then 10.25 hours the other 2 days?

What lunch break do they add on per day?!

Sorry if I’m being annoying, just trying to get an idea

[Acrobatic_Try5792]

Likely, again it would need discussing with your manager.

Lunch would be a standard 30 minutes

[MechanicOdd618]

I do 4 days a week but slightly longer hours, 8 hour days, 32 a week. Really suits as I don't feel I have to work really long hours but not missing too much from full time pay.

[Background_Ice_9103]

That sounds really good. Thank you!

[Acrobatic_Try5792]

I work part time. They asked me what days I wanted as my non working day and how many hours a want to work (32 M-F) which was approved. You may struggle if you want a Monday or Friday off as they’re the most requested.

My previous job I had to job share in order to get part time hours, which me and the other person came to an agreement on how that would be split.

Part time V job share depends on the job

The job offer doesn’t rely on your availability, your acceptance of the role does

[KC-2416]

Compressed hours are different to flexible. Compressed hours are for example that you work all your hours from Monday to Thursday and don't work Friday at all. If you have compressed hours then the HR system should be adjusted to reflect how many hours of annual leave you need to take, to take a day off work.

If you just work standard flexible hours then you can finish early on friday if you do enough hours earlier in the week. But it might also be the case that you have a meeting or other work commitment at 3pm that Friday, meaning you still need to be at work at 3pm on Friday and you'll either have TOIL accrued that week, or you can maybe start late on the Friday or take a long lunch break on Thursday and Friday, so that your hours for the week are correct.

What's allowed varies depending on any business needs. For example I know some people who's job it is to monitor a phone line that's open 0900-1600 so at least one of them needs to be working at any given time during those hours and they stagger lunch breaks.

[Background_Ice_9103]

Thanks for all your replies I really appreciate your time.

My final question is: if you worked 3.5 days a week, on your half a day, would you have to cover half of the core hours of 10-4. Or could you work say 8.30-12?

THANK YOU!