Working a 4 day week?
Discussion
I've decided for quality of life I'd like a longer weekend to work on pet projects / learning / relaxing a bit more. To do this I want to work a four day week so I'm interested in other's experiences or thoughts. I have two ways that I believe this could be implemented:
a) I drop a day off my week and take a pay cut. It works out to be under a fifth due to tax banding and I could cope on the salary.
b) I work 5 days in 4. The company don't lose any hours, I don't lose any money but it would mean 11 hour days. Half the time I end up working 10 hours anyway for no extra so I think I could suck this up.
Has anybody attempted something like this and did it work out for them? Also, how did you go about persuading those above? Any other thoughts on the matter?
(I think inflexible 9-5 is outdated. I understand the four day week is popular in Holland also.)
a) I drop a day off my week and take a pay cut. It works out to be under a fifth due to tax banding and I could cope on the salary.
b) I work 5 days in 4. The company don't lose any hours, I don't lose any money but it would mean 11 hour days. Half the time I end up working 10 hours anyway for no extra so I think I could suck this up.
Has anybody attempted something like this and did it work out for them? Also, how did you go about persuading those above? Any other thoughts on the matter?
(I think inflexible 9-5 is outdated. I understand the four day week is popular in Holland also.)
My wife has changed from a 5 day week, to a 3 day week by working longer days, it suits us / her and is actually not that non-standard in her industry (Nursing).
I'd love to do the same, but in the private sector it's very, very hard to pull off, most employers of course would prefer if we all worked 5 days worth of hours in 4 days, then came in and did the same on the 5th too, but that aside it would never work for me, I need to be here when my colleagues and clients are in work.
What do you do?
I'd love to do the same, but in the private sector it's very, very hard to pull off, most employers of course would prefer if we all worked 5 days worth of hours in 4 days, then came in and did the same on the 5th too, but that aside it would never work for me, I need to be here when my colleagues and clients are in work.
What do you do?
When I applied for my current job, the organisation were advertising for three roles which were identical, execept that one was four days per week, pro-rata salary. I made it clear that I was happy to embrace the idea of a four day role, thought it a cracking plan to have an extra day a week with the wife and kids.
However, the company changed their minds during the process and went with five days across the board, so now I work like a dog (or as close as I'll ever get
) for the usual Mon-Fri.
However, the company changed their minds during the process and went with five days across the board, so now I work like a dog (or as close as I'll ever get
) for the usual Mon-Fri.My company are pretty relaxed when it comes to how and when you work...as long as you bring in your number at the end of the quarter. I try to work 3 days in the office/with clients, 1 day in the central London office/with a partner and 1 day at home doing admin and the like. Works out well and allows a good work life balance considering the type of job.
I'm not the sort to work from home all the time and not sure I would enjoy the idea of having a weekday off to do what I please...feels wrong!
I'm not the sort to work from home all the time and not sure I would enjoy the idea of having a weekday off to do what I please...feels wrong!
Thinking of doing the 40 hours over 4 days thing when my wife goes back to work after maternity leave.
it saves us nursery money and I get an extra day with the little one but on the other hand I might miss quite a lot of our child when I'm at work for 10 hours or so.
It's a tough call for me.
it saves us nursery money and I get an extra day with the little one but on the other hand I might miss quite a lot of our child when I'm at work for 10 hours or so.
It's a tough call for me.
I'm lucky in that I don't need to work full time hours, so many years ago I switched to alternating between 3 and 4 days/week averaging 28 hours/week.
Doing this was one of the best things I've ever done, it means that I can have a dog, ride my bike more and generally have a nice life/work balance. Also I don't have to get up early every day or rush around like an idiot to get 'stuff' done at the weekends.
Obviously the pay cut isn't great but I've always felt that at long as you have a nice house and enough cash to have a decent standard of living then the extra time is infinately more important.
Do it!
Doing this was one of the best things I've ever done, it means that I can have a dog, ride my bike more and generally have a nice life/work balance. Also I don't have to get up early every day or rush around like an idiot to get 'stuff' done at the weekends.
Obviously the pay cut isn't great but I've always felt that at long as you have a nice house and enough cash to have a decent standard of living then the extra time is infinately more important.
Do it!
TREMAiNE said:
I have a friend who works shifts, he does 4x 12 hour shifts then gets 4 days off.
He loves it.
The best part is booking leave, 4 days worth of holiday essentially gives you 12 days off!
I'm truly jealous!
I used to have a cracking role, with a routine that went: 3 14-hour night shifts, 'swing' day (day off), 3 10-hour day shifts, week off. Do this five times, get rewarded with three weeks off. Repeat.He loves it.
The best part is booking leave, 4 days worth of holiday essentially gives you 12 days off!
I'm truly jealous!
It was bearable.
TREMAiNE said:
I have a friend who works shifts, he does 4x 12 hour shifts then gets 4 days off.
He loves it.
The best part is booking leave, 4 days worth of holiday essentially gives you 12 days off!
I'm truly jealous!
I used to do this. It was good, but fairly tiring doing two days and two nights. Your first day off you didn't finish till 6 am, so spent half the day in bed and the rest a bit knackered. The two in between were nice, and the final day was spent winding down and having an early bed as you were back at 6 am the following morning. However, receiving nearly two weeks off for the sake of 4 days holiday was always good. I ended up having a month off to travel Australia and only used 10 days holiday. He loves it.
The best part is booking leave, 4 days worth of holiday essentially gives you 12 days off!
I'm truly jealous!
I'm currently cramming full time hours into four days a week and I prefer it. My weekends are non-existant but I like having Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday off.
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