Three Day Week
 

Not that I read the Daily Mail...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4215714/Soldiers-offered-three-day-week-no-line-combat.html

Reminds me of an old strip cartoon that did the rounds many years ago, suggesting a 3 day week for servicemen- much incredulity from the RN ('what good's a 3 day week on a ship?') & the army, punchline was 2 RAF pilots sat in the bar - 'What's this I hear about our having to work overtime?'

That I should live so long and have to listen to this !

Truly: "Quos Iuppiter vult perdere, prius dementat" ("Those whom the Gods wish to destroy, they first make mad").

This can't be true. If it is, then it's time I went !
Danny42C.

As Trump/Pence Ha'penny would say - fake news. If not, some Richard Cranium in the MoD needs said cranium examining

Not fake news.

Several options in the trial.

90 days unpaid leave per year.
Non-deployable for a period of time.
And a third option I can't quite recall

Unbelievable..

What on earth is going on at the MOD these days ! There is something fundamentally wrong. This can only stem from the Civil serpents employed there.

They seem to have no idea how a Military organisation should function. There is a lack of support for the military from within at all levels. Leading to poor procurement, poor recruitment and openly organising unjustified criminal investigations of service personnel.

The MOD appears to be working against the Armed Forces and is no longer fit for purpose.

I despair..

Take the unpaid leave option and how does that affect your pension, anybody thought of that ?

Yes they have thought of the pension issues. Details are in the IBN.

Whatever anyone thinks these options are being trialled because people who are in are asking for these kind of options. For better or worse, the hope is it might keep people in.

Nope, this is Mil inspired, and it's a very good idea.

Your "quip" about civil serpents indicates quite out of touch you are - why don't you totter off somewhere else?

My concern is we're stretched enough as it is, if personnel have the opportunity to opt out of deployments then those left to cover will deploy even more and possibly feel inclined to leave. One "good" thing to do would be to move all perm downgraded personnel onto ftrs contracts with no x factor that might "encourage" a few miraculous recoveries.

It's quite simple, we need more people than we currently have. If we have the right number of people to undertake all of the tasks, people won't feel over-stretch and they'll stay.

We are undermanned in nearly position; take a look at the Compedium of Statistics on the Manning website. The summary on page 19 of the 2016 edition clearly highlights where our Manning resources are going.

I know I could not afford 90 days unpaid leave with a wife, 2 kids, 3 dogs and a mortgage to support. OTOH as a cash rich, time poor singly it could be a boon as going on long haul, long time vacations. Doubt many could afford to do it every year.

Also an economy measure - cuts the wages bill but retains numbers that are not needed at that moment.

As an Auxiliary, I completed a questionnaire on this subject a few months ago. It was looking lots of options for Regulars as well as options for us reservists to "do more".

At least they're trying all the angles. The money isn't there to pay people more so they need to be imaginative.

Reminds me of an Army officer of my acquaintance, decades ago:

He: "I hate meetings on Wednesdays"

Me: "Why is that?"

He: "Obvious, it ruins both weekends"

I thought that "working from home" was another option under consideration - if it is taken up, one has to ask quite how that would work...?

Working from home is an option under Flexible Working. I work from home sometimes as I am in a mobile position. DII laptop and a mobile, can't complain TBH. Clearly it isn't compatible with every post.

This relates to Flexible Duties, they are two different strands.

Did that in my final job.

Morning tea, read papers, shower, dress, coffee. Ring in, check zilch, get ready for fitness regime. . .

In my SiLs case, as a wg cdr, he would log his laptop in and do actual work even.

Of course a three day week would not be a feasible option for all units across the board.

However, there are units already working a non standard pattern, 14 Sigs being a prime example that works Monday to Thursday. Other units only have 25 odd useful working hours per week anyway once you factor in the late start Mondays, PT sessions, sports afternoons, tea and toast skives and early knock offs on Fridays.

Meanwhile, back in the real world.

It's responses like most of these on this thread that drive me away from Pprune for long periods.
Why on earth are these ideas so risible? The Forces are losing people and any real incentives that can keep experience, in whatever form, can only be applauded. Yes, allow part-time working, keeping child carers employed who might otherwise leave. Yes, home working is feasible. I left 2 years ago and have worked from home, typically on a Friday, since. If people are weekly commuting to one of the remaining units, then looking forward to getting home Thursday night, taking the kids to school on a Friday morning, but yet doing a good day's work on the laptop afterwards must surely help quality of life.

As a previous poster said, those who object need to wake up to the realities of the working environment. If the MOD can't go some way towards reflecting what the civilian world has done for years, guess which way service personnel will be drawn!