Sunday night blues...

... Not for me. I get the blues on Monday evening. I am a smarter worker. Or is this I am lucky to have an employer who has allowed a four day working week? How does my flexi week look? Well I don’t work Mondays. That is, I am not paid for my work on a Monday, because on Monday I am a stay at home Mum. However, it gets better because for the rest of the week I can pretty much choose where I work. I have a designated desk in a ‘traditional’ office space. However, I also have the flexibility to work where is most convenient for me. This could be allocated desk, or my converted garage – now a comfortable home office or anywhere else, as I maybe out and about as my role dictates.

I realise I am very lucky. Although (the past and present) government have ‘encouraged’ flexible working patterns for working parents with children under 5 or now school age, in practice, from my friends and peers, this seems only an option if you apply for a part time role or if you work in the public sector. Within the private sector, this is less common.

One of my good friends Caroline, works in financial sales. Like me, she enjoys a 4 days working week. However, she is regularly contacted on her non paid working day by her (relatively new) MD, who once left a message on her voicemail stating, “Call me back. I don’t know if you are working or not and I don’t understand this part time thing!” For the past 2 years she has worked Monday – Thursday. She smashes her sales targets and will call clients back if urgent and if she is able.

This seems to be a fairly standard. There is fear if you are managing a career role in part-time hours. We tend to have a working acceptance of ‘presenteeism’ and not objective led performance management. I do hope we see this change so everyone (and not just working parents) can benefit as I am.