Worker Applauded for Rejecting Higher Paid Job: 'Run for the Hills'

A woman planning to reject a job offer over flexible working hours is being applauded online.

Posting to Mumsnet's Am I Being Unreasonable? (AIBU) forum on September 14, user SummerFlops explained she was thinking of turning down a higher-paying position after the company said no to her request for flexible hours.

The new role would bring in an extra £190 (roughly $218) a month, but would stop her from doing the school run, putting extra pressure on her husband.

The post ignited a debate on whether it's unfair for employers to deny flexible working in a post-pandemic world, with almost 200 comments from users sharing their opinions.

Top Priority

With flexible hours now a top priority for job seekers, SummerFlops isn't the only one to consider turning down a role that doesn't fit their schedule.

Research conducted by the ManpowerGroup found that 40 percent of job candidates worldwide consider flexible working a must, with employers needing to adapt to recruit and retain workers.

In July, there were more than 11 million job openings in the United States. Dubbed the "Great Resignation" by experts, over 4 million people a month have quit their jobs since the start of 2022. A recent report from McKinsey and Co found that 40 percent of global workers are planning to leave their current position in the next three to six months.

Although half of job movers are switching industries, experts believe burn-out brought on by the pandemic and the possibility of better-paid roles are fueling the exodus. Many people are also choosing to start their own business, drop their hours, or choose a job with flexible working opportunities—with the latter as appealing to candidates as a 10 percent pay rise.

In her post, SummerFlops said the new role is better paid but would cause issues in her household. Her partner currently does both morning and afternoon school runs at two different schools as there are no after-school activities available. So, she asked her potential employer if she could work flexibly so she could do one of the school runs herself.

'No Regrets'

The poster proposed starting work earlier and doing extra work in the evenings to make up the time, equaling 40 minutes in total. However, the company said no.

"The manager refused saying that that isn't what they do and there's an expectation that everyone needs to be in the office and available at any time if anything comes up," she wrote.

"Like what i have no idea - I am not an ER doctor or anything. She also insinuated that I wasn't committed to the job by asking this.

"Looks like they don't have a flexible working culture and I feel like turning the offer down, but at the same time, the extra money would be nice too!"

Concluding her post, the woman asked if she was "silly" for expecting flexible hours, or if it's a sign she should "run for the hills."

The majority of Mumsnet users agreed the employer was being unreasonable about rejecting her flexible working request, with Londongent saying that companies need to "adapt or die."

"This is the way the world of work is going and importantly this is what the new generation of workers are after too," they said.

NovaDeltas agreed, writing: "They'll never attract the best workers. They'll just get dinosaurs who love clockwatching.

"There's loads of flexible, realistic roles. You'll find something better."

"I've declined jobs before due to the same reason with no regrets," commented thistooshallpass.

"[I've] told them why so they know they're losing ppl because they aren't flexible."

Nevertheless, others felt that the poster was being unreasonable, with caringcarer suggesting she "look for something else more flexible."

"Seems a big ask - leaving the office to pick up your kids during working hours," wrote gogohmm.

While vivainsomnia said: "The world doesn't revolve around primary school children. Working life doesn't stop for 1h between 9 and 10 and 2:30-3:30.

"The fact that parents think the onus is on the workplace to be flexible because parents don't want to pay doesn't mean business will have to adapt."

Newsweek wasn't able to verify the details of this case.