Just asked my manager about coming in at 7am and leaving by 3:30pm instead of our standard 9-5. Would work better with pickup times and give me actual time with the kids before bedtime. He said he'd "think about it" which usually means no.
What have people successfully negotiated? I'm not asking for full remote or part-time, just a shift. My output wouldn't change, just the hours.
That's still 40 hours a week so you're not shorting him. If your job allows 7am starts, there's no legitimate reason to refuse. Might need to escalate if he keeps deflecting.
7am-3:30pm is a totally reasonable ask, especially if you're still doing the hours. Frame it as 'can you help me figure out how to make this work' instead of 'I want to leave early.' Managers respond better to problem-solving.
Successfully negotiated this at my place - had to agree to be on email in the evenings if needed (rarely happens) but gets home by 3:15 to pick up kids. Maybe offer something similar? Show you're flexible too.
The pickup time thing is the real angle here. If you frame it as 'this helps me be more present and focused during work hours' instead of 'I want to leave early,' that lands better with managers.
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His 'I'll think about it' is code for probably not unless you push back. Have a follow-up conversation in a week with specific reasons why it works for the company too - like productivity, less turnover, whatever.