Thinking of lobbying for a part-time work schedule? Career
consultant Marilyn Moats Kennedy (www.moatskennedy.com) offers the following tips on
negotiating with your supervisor.
Draft a schedule. Pick three weekdays you would
devote full-time to the office. Include Monday, since it is often
considered a crisis day.
Have a plan. Before asking, arm yourself with a
proposal detailing what you will be responsible for, how many days
in the office and how much time in which the workload can be
handled. Indicate that you are prepared to be flexible and work
extra hours should a crisis arise that needs your full
attention.
Weigh benefits. For a married worker whose
spouse has health benefits, this might not be an important issue.
Single employees, however, should ask for 60 percent of their
current salary for half-time employment; this will help compensate
for the lack of health coverage.
Don’t shake on it. Get the agreement in writing;
suggest a three-month review to see how the plan is working for
both parties.