Condensing a work week following an ASD diagnosis

[OpenToSuggestions]

Following this thread (which was useful before it got derailed by some dipsticks):
https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/threads/autism-diagnosis-as-an-adult.18937278/

At my employer's request I have completed a workplace assessment.
One of the recommendations is for a condensed work week. I have opened discussions with management on what this actually means. They are being responsive.

My situation is:
Design Engineer
Mid 30s
Over 100k equity in my house
No other debts
Overpay the mortgage each month by £300, such that I am on track to own the house outright by my early 50s.
Save £300 per month into various saving schemes (shares and Lifetime ISA mostly)
Pay into a pension so that the company matches their max amount
No kids (no plans)
Paid overtime.

My proposal is instead of doing a 37h week over 5 days, do 34h over 4 days, which loses me a little over £200 per month but makes every weekend a 3 day weekend. This reduction will be accounted for by reducing my spending on work food (often buy two meals at work per day) and drop the monthly share/LISA savings.

I think I would be mad not to pursue this, but I would value the opinion of others who can look objectively.

 

[NotAGolf]

If you can afford to them dip in income, and hack the slightly longer days when you are in, then I'd go for it.

I'd certainly be all over an offer like that, and will approach my employer to do something similar in a few years when my personal situation settles down a bit, i.e. both kids in school, wife back at work, moved house etc.

Edit. It's only a drop of 3 hours over the week. Will that be enough for your condition? (sorry I'm very ignorant in terms of how autism affects people)

 

[OpenToSuggestions]

I have reached the age I am with little to no help and I am very hard on myself in the workplace. Working 5 days takes it totally out of me at times, however I had to do it as without a good reason people expect full time (plus extra on top). It could be worse as I could have never received a diagnosis . It is a shame that men are often expected to work a 45+ hour week.
A three day weekend every weekend sounds incredible to me.

I have flexible hours Mon-Fri and typically work a shorter Friday anyway.
The idea for 3h per week is so I can largely maintain the same lifestyle. I am responsible with finances where I can be. I could do 32h if I wanted, but the pay scales down accordingly.
In all cases I have to approach HR with the proposal.

 

[Zenduri]

Not the same situation i know but to give you an idea of working condensed days i've been working an office job, 37 hrs a week, over 4 days for 7 years now (8am-5:45pm). It does take some getting used to with the longer days and you will feel really drained for the first couple of weeks and you need to motivate yourself to push through it but for me personally i love having Mondays off and having 3 day weekends and you get used to the longer days.

It's helped me massively with my work/life balance and i wouldnt give it up for anything. The important thing i would focus on is whats right for your needs both financially and from a well being perspective especially if you are dropping some hours. Personally i would try a full week condensed into 4 days for 2-3 weeks and see how you get on and if its not for you then drop the hours slightly if you are ok doing so then try that.

 

[Hotwired]

What does anyone elses opinion matter.

Everyone negotiates pay, conditions, hours when they get the chance.

 

[Slam62]

What does anyone elses opinion matter.

Everyone negotiates pay, conditions, hours when they get the chance.

It's obviously not about pay and conditions it's about what might work/has worked.

Personally I can't really help, it is what works for you. I have found retirement to be the best solution.

 

[Jimbeam3678]

In addition its the reason why people burn out at work as they don't look after themselves. It might be ok for 10, 20 god even 30 years but working silly hours and stress eventually catches up with you. Eventually your body says I don't think so.

 

[Tom_ed1987]

I know nothing about your diagnosis or how it affects your ability to work a 5 day week, but I'd definitely jump at the opportunity to skim a working pattern down to 4 days - it makes a massive difference to your life.

 

[DanTheMan]

Everyone is different but an extra day off work is rarely a bad thing.

From my experience of working condensed hours:

- Make sure on the days that you are working, that you don't work so long that you have no evening.
- Try not to 'waste' your extra day off.
- Be aware that you may often feel like you're missing out on work opportunities because you're not full time (hugely dependent on employer)

I did 5 days over 4 for a while and as much as I enjoyed the extra day off, I felt like I lost 4 evenings a week, as the days I worked were long enough to leave very little time in the evening.

Another option which I preferred was working 1 day at the weekend and having 1 day off in the week. If I was single or no kids and didn't have to fit my lifestyle around, I'd definitely do that as its lovely to go about your business on a weekday when it's much quieter.

 

[nine_tails]

In addition its the reason why people burn out at work as they don't look after themselves. It might be ok for 10, 20 god even 30 years but working silly hours and stress eventually catches up with you. Eventually your body says I don't think so.

Yeah , this is true unfortunately the body can only take so much and add any other issues as you grow older.

 

[Greedo]

That's really good your employer is being really helpful with the diagnosis, I hope it goes well whatever you choose. I previously tried to do compressed working, condensing 5 days into 4 but I felt like I spent the extra day off recovering from the long hours and lack of evenings from the working days. But I think it completely depends on the individual, other colleagues I work with love that style of working and have absolutely no problems with it. I would definitely trial it and see how you get on if I were you.

 

[HangTime]

Keep in mind that moving to 4 days a week will likely leave you very busy the day before/after your day off because the rest of the organisation will continue working. You'll either need to finish something because it's needed by others on your day off, or you will come back to a backlog of work generated whilst you are off.

Regarding 3 day weekend I'd definitely try to get Monday off rather than Friday off for this reason, otherwise you'll probably end up pulling 11+ hours on Thursday to get stuff done that's needed for end of the week (rightly or wrongly people often impose end of week deadlines or have iterative cycles that end on Friday). Whilst in theory you are working the same hours you often find you have dependencies blocking you from completing tasks earlier in the week so you have no choice but to backload some tasks nearer to the deadline. Although to be fair it depends on what your work is, if you are largely working in isolation with little input needed from others it would be less of an issue.

Be aware that you may often feel like you're missing out on work opportunities because you're not full time

This is one thing that puts me off the idea, there would probably be some key meetings that I would miss out on not working Mon-Fri. The office environment is all structured around a five day week, there is a tacit sub-conscious assumption that everyone works Mon-Fri and generally other workers don't cater for people not working those days particularly well (no easy answer).
Really I think it needs some sort of consistent approach across the org culture. Some organisations have trialled four days week, I'd maybe like to see an arrangement where organisations would mandate no meetings on a given day and then have that as the day where people can either have days off with confidence or conversely give people who are working a chance to catchup on all the work they can't do whilst they are sat in meetings. You could argue it would be better off trying to cull the amount of meeting time but that's possibly a step too far and the two things aren't mutually exclusive.

 

[mid_gen]

ASD diagnosis aside, I would bite my employer's handoff to get that deal! I'm in a similar position to you, although a little older.

I was considering broaching the idea soon actually....though at the moment I'm piling extra money into my pension instead.

 

[Noxia]

May I ask in this case what relevance the diagnosis has on the rest of it? Nothing changed after I was diagnosed, I understand I can request reasonable adjustments such as having somewhere quiet to work or whatever but Im not sure I could get away with asking for a 4 day week not would it work well for me and ultimately my work would suffer.
Though to be fair, the public sector I'm in is very flexible and disability wise.

 

[dowie]

Yeah I'm also not sure what the diagnosis has to do with a 4 day week but I'd be quite interested in a 4 day week - my sister does it as it's easier for childcare, instead of 5*8 hour days she has 4 * 10 hour days, no drop in hours or pay.

Has the employer stated you have to only work 34 hours and take a pay cut if you get this adjustment to working hours? That doesn't seem too "reasonable" - surely you shouldn't lose out financially by doing this and they could accommodate simply adjusting your usual 37 weekly hours to the 4 days?

 

[Manbatius]

I this is a good idea, a trial first might be an idea, as others have mentioned the energy and time drain on those longer days can be tough going.

 

[OspreyO]

I tried a 3 and 4 day week when I left a long time permanent job. I found I kept being asked to do longer days or help out on the 5th day, Which I wasn't getting paid for.
I did it for 3 to 4 months then quit. I wanted the 5th day for my own projects, which I never got time for. The only time I've worked only my allotted hours is in public sector jobs. But it often tends on the actually business area you are in.

 

[OpenToSuggestions]

The 34h idea was my request. I would like to trial it first.
I agree with most of the comments about potentially losing out on career progression or being expected to stay late on the Thursday. I'm at the point where I can confidently tell them no, then tell them where to stick it with the backlash.

I have been in the position where I am needed to stay late last minute before. It is not fun and basically makes you a doormat.

 

[OpenToSuggestions]

I tried a 3 and 4 day week when I left a long time permanent job. I found I kept being asked to do longer days or help out on the 5th day, Which I wasn't getting paid for.
I did it for 3 to 4 months then quit. I wanted the 5th day for my own projects, which I never got time for. The only time I've worked only my allotted hours is in public sector jobs. But it often tends on the actually business area you are in.

I don't blame you for leaving. Working unpaid is not work, it is taking the wee.

 

[OspreyO]

Well there was bit more to it, but thats the end result.
It's very common in IT or creative industries. Time is not valued.

But imagine asking a builder or tradesman to work a few hours extra or a day for free. They'd laugh at you.

Another one that happens was always been asked to stay late just an hour, work through lunch. That quickly becomes an extra 8hrs or an extra day a week. Try pushing all that time to a Sat and see the pushback, as they'd have to pay you for that.

If you are not precious with your time (see the value in it) no one else will.

 

[OpenToSuggestions]

An update as it has been a while.
I have been taking Fridays off for the last few weeks as holiday.

As of 1st Jan I have changed my contract to 34h per week from 37h. I will no longer work Fridays. This means my Mon to Thurs is slightly longer but that's alright with me.
I have come to terms with a pay cut but can accommodate it.

My workplace are happy with my current performance and still wish me to lead projects going forward.

It is for a 6m trial.

I have been asked during busy times if I could work more but I'd get it back easily enough.

Thanks for the help all .