"Whenever I need you, you're never here!"aga colleague, looking at me more sympathetically than accusingly. "That can't be right, I work 50% of the time, so statistically speaking, you should be able to find me every other time you look for me!" I point out, giving him a disarming wink. He grins, and we get back to the (half)agbusiness.
Of Netstream approximately 90 employees, 10 work part-time. We therefore decided not to simply observe and speculate passively, but toagour own part-time colleagues individually on the topic. What we learned was surprising. Their experiences and attitudes towards their own part-time work are just as diverse as their motivations.
Sasha, our prime example of workload reduction and also the youngest of all theag, reduced his workload to 80% two years ago due to his further training. Initially, he put himself under considerable pressure. His high expectations of himself resulted in countless hours ofag . He began asking his colleagues for help and experienced boundless consideration and support from his team. He now affectionately refers to the circumstances that led to his transformation from a lone wolf to a team player as having a "therapeutic effect." Unlike his classmates, he never received any work calls on his "day off.".
Aleksandra can't say the same. Her part-time story ended before it even really began. As a project manager, she worked full-time for years with great enthusiasm. After the birth of her first daughter, she reduced her hours to 80%. She soon felt that she wasn't fulfilling her role and meeting her own expectations as a project manager with a supposed "dayag." Clients who tried to reach her on her dayag were redirected to her mobile number; because that's what she wanted. So she increased her hours again and hasn't regretted the decision for a single moment, even now with two young children at home.
Cinzia has no children, but she does have a time-consuming hobby: traveling. A few months ago, during her first job interview, sheag: "Would a 90% workload be conceivable for you?" Our HR manager, Leandra,agagreed, because this brought to light one of her many visions: giving all Netstreamthe option to reduce their hours to 90%, as this reduction improves work-life balance. Furthermore, part-time employees with a reduced workload can use their time for extended weekends or hobbies. Would Cinzia have accepted our offer if Netstream hadn't offered a 90% workload? Yes and no. She wouldn't turn down a dream job for that reason alone. However, she couldn't imagine that a company whose values didn't accommodate such a request from a motivated employee would be a good fit for her.
Florian would likely disagree with your assertion that every full-time job can also be done at 80%. He reduced his hours to dedicate oneag a week to his son. Building a close bond with his son and playing a vital role in his young life means Florian isn't ruling out a 60% workload and is willing to tolerate some of the drawbacks of a reduced schedule. While Florian appreciates that his supervisor allows him to choose his shifts so he can pick up his son from daycare, he would still like his shift count to be adjusted accordingly. Together, we conclude that discussing a reduction in his workload with his supervisor is not only desirable but absolutely essential. I immediately add the item "Conduct a discussion with your supervisor and colleagues about the revised workload" to our "Workload Adjustment Checklist.".
Our conclusion: We're not yet where we want to be when it comes to reducing workloads in our company. That's why our message to our employees is so important: Work 80%: Absolutely do it! We don't see resignation as an option. Now, above all, we want to make one thing: Make part-time work at Netstream more attractive!
Our own – non-scientifically based – theory on the topic of workload reduction is this: Reducing workload brings one disadvantage for the employee: less pay. However, it also brings many, many advantages: work-life balance, the opportunity for further training, the gift of parentalag, the chance to challenge the team to work together, and to live important company values even more intensely: consideration and humanity.
