3 ms·

Overtly advertising it? No. Hasn't stopped me (and quite a few others) from getting 4 day weeks out of them. The trick is being senior enough (or in demand e

by Syonyk 3y ago

Overtly advertising it? No. Hasn't stopped me (and quite a few others) from getting 4 day weeks out of them. The trick is being senior enough (or in demand enough) that you can get one company to agree to a 32h week for you (and be willing to walk - I've interviewed with very interesting companies who weren't willing to consider it, and so we ended the discussions). Once you have it in some form or another, you're good. It's just a condition of employing you, early in discussions with other companies.

ryandrake 3y ago
I'd love to learn the secret incantation from "senior enough" employees who have managed to negotiate these kinds of things. I've been at it for 25+ years and only managed to negotiate pay (never large increases, and not from many companies). When it comes to your terms of employment like hours, vacation, benefits, sick time, and so on, it's always "The boilerplate employment agreement is written by god and cannot be changed by mortals. Sign it unmodified or GTFO!"
- quasse 3y ago
  At least in my experience, it really helps to have one senior person lead the way. Our company hired a greybeard with a rock solid condition of his employment being a four day work week. After that, it was much easier for "normal" employees to switch to it since management was familiar with the idea and saw that he was a very productive employee. I switched to four day work weeks when I was 29 (based on his example) and have been very happy with it.
- Syonyk 3y ago
  > Sign it unmodified or GTFO! That's the secret. Being willing to GTFO if they don't meet your terms. And being good enough at what you do that they're willing to meet your terms. My current employer, on initial contact, wasn't willing to consider fully remote and 32h/wk. Then a year later, they came back and were willing to talk because they'd been trying to find someone with my skillset locally.

by Syonyk 3y ago

ryandrake 3y ago

I'd love to learn the secret incantation from "senior enough" employees who have managed to negotiate these kinds of things. I've been at it for 25+ years and only managed to negotiate pay (never large increases, and not from many companies). When it comes to your terms of employment like hours, vacation, benefits, sick time, and so on, it's always "The boilerplate employment agreement is written by god and cannot be changed by mortals. Sign it unmodified or GTFO!"

quasse 3y ago
At least in my experience, it really helps to have one senior person lead the way. Our company hired a greybeard with a rock solid condition of his employment being a four day work week. After that, it was much easier for "normal" employees to switch to it since management was familiar with the idea and saw that he was a very productive employee. I switched to four day work weeks when I was 29 (based on his example) and have been very happy with it.
Syonyk 3y ago
> Sign it unmodified or GTFO! That's the secret. Being willing to GTFO if they don't meet your terms. And being good enough at what you do that they're willing to meet your terms. My current employer, on initial contact, wasn't willing to consider fully remote and 32h/wk. Then a year later, they came back and were willing to talk because they'd been trying to find someone with my skillset locally.