Courtesy of Annabel Lee
- Annabel Lee wanted a four-day workweek, but she worried what her employer would think.
- This is how she made her request and how she ensured it would work for both parties.
- She worked a four-day week for five years and continued the arrangement when she began freelancing.
In 2015, I burned out at my job as an account manager for a technology PR agency, where I had worked full time for the previous five years. I was exhausted and stressed, and I realized that I needed to reevaluate my work-life balance to feel better.
I decided I wanted to reduce my working hours to a four-day week. But I had no dependents at the time and didn't know how to request flexible working for well-being and mental-health reasons, rather than for childcare or family commitments.
I worried my request might be seen as a lack of commitment toward my job (it wasn't) and affect my career progression.
After a lot of research, I made a formal request, and it was granted.
This is my checklist of things I did and that I'd recommend to anyone who wants to make a similar flexible-working request.
Consider when and how to make the request
I used an upcoming annual review to make my request. This meant I had time to prepare and could broach the subject verbally. I considered making the request by email. There are pros and cons of each: An email is less direct, but it gives you no space for an immediate discussion.
A meeting can feel more intense, but it offers a chance to discuss any issues in the moment, which allows for a more honest and upfront conversation. I found this worked well because I was able to get instant feedback on my request and gauge the response from my managers immediately.
Explain the reasons why
Before the meeting, I prepared notes, which helped me feel calm and confident. I included an overview of why I was making my request. I explained that I was burned out, that it was affecting my well-being and work, and that I wanted to reduce my working hours to create more balance.
Discussing your mental health or personal issues with your boss can feel tricky. I found it helpful to prepare clear, concise, and factual notes beforehand.
Be specific and flexible with what you're suggesting
I went in with a clear request: I wanted to work a 30-hour week over four days rather than a 37.5-hour week over five.
Having a specific request makes it easier to get a straightforward yes or no answer, or alternative but concrete suggestions.
I said I was flexible about which day I would have off and explained that I was happy to identify a day that suited the company. We ultimately decided on a Thursday as this worked best with scheduled meetings and when others were working.
Being this clear, while offering to help set up a new arrangement, helped make it easy for my employer to understand (and agree to) what I was proposing.
Know exactly what this means for your take-home pay
I had calculated that I could afford a reduction to four-fifths of my salary. In real terms, this was not a 20% cut in take-home pay because I was taxed higher on the last fifth of my earnings.
There are good salary apps (I used this one) that show what a reduction in your salary means in real terms, including how it would affect tax, pension, and national insurance contributions.
Weigh how much money you can afford to lose if you reduce your hours, or whether you'd prefer to ask for compressed hours (such as a full week over four days).
Anticipate issues or objections
I considered possible issues or objections and included proposed solutions. In my case, this included how to manage client work when I was off and how to tell clients about my reduced hours.
I laid out how we could manage this by ensuring that other members of the team had free capacity to cover my reduced hours, and that there would always be a suitable cover when I wasn't working. I also emphasized that I was happy to be contacted on my day off in an emergency.
Explain how it benefits you and them
I concluded by detailing the benefits for everyone: For me, this included improved mental health and greater happiness at work. For my employer, it meant improved productivity, reduced salary payments, and greater staff retention.
After the review, we agreed that my employer would consider the request and respond within a few weeks
It was helpful to put everything in writing and agree to a timeframe to discuss it again. I thanked them for considering my request and explained that I was happy to work together to agree on an approach that worked for everyone.
My request was granted. I stayed in the job for another five years. Thanks to the four-day week, I recovered from burnout and was happier, as well as more productive.
It suited me so well that, when I left the job in 2020 to freelance, I stuck to working four days a week.
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