A difficult dilemma presents itself – I know STW collectively love reduced hours at work, so I seek your help in making a decision!

Background

An opportunity for a change of job role has arisen. I currently work a 36 hour week, but (owing to arcane regulations negotiated through our union) get paid for a 40 hour week – this includes a set of night shifts about every three weeks. My current job is often very easy, with lots of downtime but I am completely inactive, office based and getting fat. I have no ongoing supervisory responsibility (keep an eye on subordinates, but no PDRs). I take home about £2.3k every month.

Job Opportunity

The new role is a 34 hour position, mainly out of the office in the fresh air but with some meetings etc. I would be free to work a flexi pattern (within reason). I would have first line responsibility for three or four others, and second line for another eight or so. No night shifts. I would take home about £2k every month.

Advantages of new job

No night shifts
Flexi pattern a real possibility – a four day week entirely feasible
Out and about, in the fresh air and meeting people
Bit bored of my current role
I could generate a few hours overtime each month fairly easily
Three day weekends – more time with the nipper and on the bike

Disadvantages of new job

Lose £300 per month for 8 fewer hours at work – £37.50 per hour!
I’d have to actually work for my money, which I don’t really do now

So, the question really is – would you move from 36 hours a week to 34 hours a week for a £300 pay cut?

Based on the info you have given, i would take the pay cut and reduced hours.
Only question is can you manage with 300 quid less?

Dropping 2 hours a week wouldn’t even factor into the decision for me. Would need to be at least an hour a day I think.

Its a big chunk to lose however for a less dull job? If I was confident I’d enjoy it I’d take it. Watch out for pension contributions if public sector

No brainer. Take the new job. You won’t actively miss £300 a month at that rate, and the time off is worth FAR more.

I’m considering asking if I can take unpaid tmie off. If I take off one day a week, that’s effectively a 20% pay cut. Still worth it for me

For the reward (2 hours per week) is not worth the loss (£300, more work). I’d stay put.

Take the new job!

Or stay where you are and get £300 a month AND diabetes.

Forget the money, it sounds like the new job would be much better. Shorter and flexible hours is a bonus.

Take the new job. Only you will know if you will miss that £300 a month.

Personally even if I couldn’t I’d make it work so that I had more time doing things I enjoy both at home and at work.

In half an hours time I’m done for the week. Tomorrow morning I’ll get up, chuck some stuff in the back of the car and head up to North Yorshire for a weekend of walking and over-eating with Mrs Binners. I don’t do Fridays. Been on a self-appointed (I’m freelance) 4 day week/3 day weekend for a good while now

Would I go back to five days a week for more money? Not a ****ing chance!!! 🙂

If you can earn what you need from working fewer hours, then it’s an absolute no-brainer

If you can afford to lose £300/month then definitely go for it.

£300 to lose night shifts would seal it for me.

With a lot less idle time in the potential new position, you might end up with less free time, rather than more.

Three day weekends – more time with the nipper and on the bike

is your answer.

four day week for me here. it’s the greatest thing ever.

300 quid for more biking and more time with your kid before you die (to be blunt) is worth so so much more.

double post

Forget the money, it sounds like the new job would be much better. Shorter and flexible hours is a bonus.

This^^
I dropped to 30 hours and flexible working 10 years ago.
It has been great.

If all things were equal (hours, pay, nightshifts) which employer would you like to work for?

There are so many things that are important. Culture, office, attitudes, etc.

I’ve done similar. Cash didn’t factor into it for me (as long as you know 2k a month is enough) then it’s a no brainer.

10% reduction in coke and hookers will cover the £300 less a month.

So, the question really is – would you move from 36 hours a week to 34 hours a week for a £300 pay cut?

In my position no way, 2 hours is nothing.

But with the option of Fridays off that puts a totally different perspective on it. But I presume you finish early every day at the moment, would you miss that? You would also have the potential stress involved in line managing people.

So, to put it another way

You’ve been offered a job that you are likely to enjoy more, gets you out and about, means you work normal hours (and therefore are likely to sleep better, with the resulting positive impact on your wellbeing), potentially can compress to a 4 day week so you get to do the things you want, and you can get some overtime potentially as well

Hmmm

(if you’re worried can you try it on a trial basis)

I would as long as the money wont make things tough at home. More interesting, outdoors and a bit of a challenge.

Different organisation or same? I’m fairly sure that I am due to start your current job role and I am dreading it.

No brainer. Take the new job. You won’t actively miss £300 a month at that rate, and the time off is worth FAR more.

Exactly.. You can’t buy time.

Exactly.. You can’t buy time.

That’s true but the op is going to be working longer days and potential overtime.

I’m not sure if given the choice of finishing at 3pm every day for example or working till 5:30pm for 4 days what the best option would be.

No brainer. Take the new job. You won’t actively miss £300 a month at that rate, and the time off is worth FAR more.

This

I’m considering asking if I can take unpaid tmie off. If I take off one day a week, that’s effectively a 20% pay cut. Still worth it for me

Can you not do compressed hours, like work ten days in nine and get a day off every other week with no loss in pay?

And, if you don’t want the new job, I’ll have it 🙂

With a lot less idle time in the potential new position, you might end up with less free time, rather than more.

…and you could find yourself having to work those extra two hours anyway to keep on top of the extra first and second line management responsibilities

I wouldn’t confuse ‘out in the open air’ with ‘driving about lots’. Would need to know the role more but in general office hours are substituted by driving hours. I know which I prefer nowadays. Years ago it was bliss when the roads weren’t chocka!

I’ve come the other way, field engineer to office bod. Knowing exactly what time I start and finish is a huge bonus over tackling a 10am start that’s 4-5 hours away or dealing with a problematic site/customer and not leaving until 5/6pm with the drive home.

You’d need to pro rata that £37.50 across the out of hours stuff and the recovery time needed to sort your body clock after too.
Being busy (not stressed) is good for you, being too far in your comfort zone damages morale.

Can you not do compressed hours, like work ten days in nine and get a day off every other week with no loss in pay?

That’s what my wife does.She gets every 2nd Friday off.

I contract on a day rate, so tend to take these off too.

3 day weekend twice a month is spot on IMHO.

*Edit, I do “lose” a lot more than £300 a month tho, but still, its worth doing.

On another point if you wouldn’t miss the £300 I’d be tempted to carry on as you are and stick that extra money in your pension or a stocks and shares isa – then retire earlier. Obviously depends how long you have to work but for me with 5 years left to work that extra could take 6 months off it.

My own experience:

Dropped from 39h/5day week to a compressed 36h/4day week, so that I could spend more time with my kids while they were little.

I’d recommend it to anyone.

Obviously I get paid 36/39th of what I used to, but that’s before tax. After tax the difference isn’t really so great.

As of this term our youngest is now at school till 3:15, so I now have most of Fridays to myself. Not planning to go back full-time if I can help it!

Keep the current role and try and do more fitness stuff outside work.

Unless you have already paid off your mortgage.

£300.00 a month is a new bike / family holiday a year ..

Not sure how old you are, or exactly what your financial situation is, but the older I’ve got the more I’ve come to realise that time is more valuable than money.

Though obviously money is pretty handy too, mainly for buying bike stuff

I take home the same as you now and there is no way I could afford to lose £300 a month…

Look at your finances and see if you really can live without that £300. If you can then look at the other things you mentioned.

I took a pretty big pay cut to go down to a 4 day week 2 years ago, was about £300 a month I lost. I very quickly got used to the lower wage and the extra day to do stuff is a godsend. Having a day off midweek means you can get a lot of stuff done much, much quicker than on a weekend when everything is rammed. My wages have actually gone up now so I’m earning as much as I did on 4 days now as I did on 5 days back then (partly due to a wage increase but more to do with longer days and taking on two new responsibilities). The company have put a stop to anyone else dropping days like I did now so I have a lot of very envious colleagues at work, including my line manager as I earn nearly as much as him 😀

Thanks for all your thoughts – some excellent food for thought.

To clear a few bits up – we could afford the pay cut, and the job is with the same organisation and in the same building. I’m quite excited about the prospect of seeing some daylight, and am leaning towards going for it. I’m planning to submit a shift pattern proposal which would be entirely to my convenience – if that is accepted then I’ll go for it.

Different organisation or same? I’m fairly sure that I am due to start your current job role and I am dreading it.

Timidwheeler – same shower as before. Custody? I felt the same as you, but have massively enjoyed a change of pace and have learned loads, particularly disposals and safeguarding stuff. Time for a change after two and a half years though…