Reply to: Moving to a 4 day week ...

[Jeebo72]

I can just get by (i.e. live very comfortably) on a 3 day week. But 4 is better. I tend to spend the spare days skiing during winter and plan B the rest of the time.

I did try for 3, but they wouldn't go for it! Happy that eveyone who's done the 4 dayer, seems to be positive about it.

J

[NotAllThere]

Let's say someone is on £200 a day. If their on site 5 days, that's £1000. 4 days it's £800. Unless it costs £200 per day fixed costs, I don't understand your reasoning. Most of the cost of an external is their billing fees.

[Scary]

Most people would, certainly among those who have done it. So why is it rare?

From the worker's side - want to get as many $$$ as possible when in contract.

From the client's side - fixed costs of having someone on site (doesn't scale linearly with time worked).

I'd probably work a four day week at four fifths of a decent rate if I had the opportunity.

[NotAllThere]

I can just get by (i.e. live very comfortably) on a 3 day week. But 4 is better. I tend to spend the spare days skiing during winter and plan B the rest of the time.

[Ravello]

Just finished doing a month of 3 days a week for current clientco whilst waiting for funding approvals for projects, was great but 3 days a week does cut into the monthly invoice a bit... 4 sounds like a good deal particularly with a rate increase so

[expat]

Ah, the 4 day week.

I did 6 months on 4-dayers. Didn't get paid for the missing day but the sheer loveliness of the short week more than made up for it. Would certainly do it again.

Most people would, certainly among those who have done it. So why is it rare? And why is it something to wangle for?

Has anybody tried specifying it in their contract?

[Dark Black]

I had a 4 month-er doing a 4 day week last year, echoing what's already been said, it was great - worth the money drop

[Durbs]

Ah, the 4 day week.

I did 6 months on 4-dayers. Didn't get paid for the missing day but the sheer loveliness of the short week more than made up for it. Would certainly do it again.

[DieScum]

I did this once when I really hated the job but couldn't find anything else. Came to renewal time and I asked to switch to 4 days a week.

One of the best things I have ever done on reflection. Went from being miserable and hardly having any time to myself (up in the dark, back in the dark, lacking sleep) to ... well enjoying myself a lot more.

I think it's a percentage thing.

5-2 = seems like you are working all the time
4-3 = you're off almost half the time

[NotAllThere]

I tried not to work out how much money I was losing by being a lazy git!

It's ok. At some point, they'll ask you to do five days again, and then you'll be quids in.

My first contract was at £23 an hour. At renewal that was upped to £25, at my request, but the condition, from the client, was that I now work forty hour weeks, instead of thirty-five. Back in the days of steam-driven computers, that extra £195 a week was not to be sneezed at.

[Churchill]

Result, and through the summer too.



I dropped to 4 days/week at last clientco due to a cap on billing days and loved it. If I could do it on every gig in the future I would.

I try not to recruit contractors whose productivity increases when they're away from the computer...

[moorfield]

renewed contract for 6 months, asked for rate rise, got, then asked if I can do a 4 day week, got. So same money, 4 days a week! Bingo. Happy days.

Result, and through the summer too.



I dropped to 4 days/week at last clientco due to a cap on billing days and loved it. If I could do it on every gig in the future I would.

[Jeebo72]

So an overall 20% drop then?

But I'm not knocking it mind, it was a reasonable compromise and you got what you wanted...

I tried not to work out how much money I was losing by being a lazy git!

[Mich the Tester]

[cojak]

So an overall 20% drop then?

But I'm not knocking it mind, it was a reasonable compromise and you got what you wanted...

Edit: - Ah they gave you a rise and asked you to take a day off to pay for it? Can't complain at that!