Walnut Unlimited MD on working flexibly: ‘Part-time does not mean less committed’

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As the managing director of Walnut Unlimited and a partner in the Unlimited Group, I have a challenging and fulfilling job. It sometimes surprises people that I work part-time, and have done for more than 20 years – but this may be the norm in the workplace of the future.

When I joined the company (or rather its predecessor) in 1993, I worked full-time, as we all did. My first child was born 21 years ago, at which point I started working part-time, three days a week. It wasn’t the norm then, and I felt some pressure to justify myself and my working arrangements.

As part of negotiating my reduced hours, I agreed to a cut in my full-time equivalent salary. That’s not something we would ask someone to do now, but it shows there was some initial scepticism as to whether it could work. We agreed to an initial three-month trial and it was up to me to demonstrate that I could be effective three days a week.

Naturally, clients demand a high level of service, whether their account manager is full- or part-time. In my experience, flexibility is key. In the same way that agency life sometimes demands that we work in the evenings or at weekends, it is also sometimes necessary to swap working and non-working days – or to take that call or respond to an email on a non-working day.

It’s about managing workload, and we all know how to do that. For me, it’s key to work with a supportive team that I, and my clients, trust when I’m out of the office. It is also worth remembering that clients are people too; as long as their work is delivered to a high standard, they are happy, whether you are in the office three, four or five days a week.

As my children grew, I gradually increased my hours, and now operate as 90% of a full-time worker – although it does not always feel like that! I am not alone. About 20% of our employees work part-time: men and women, across all levels, from managing director to admin staff. This applies to parents and non-parents; while most of our part-time workers are mothers of young children, we have fathers who work part-time and some employees without children who work fewer hours so they can pursue interests outside of work. Recent joiners work part-time, as do three employees who have each been with us for more than 25 years.

Part of our human-understanding ethos is that we don’t think of a ‘work-life balance’ – it is all life. Our employees should not be asked to choose between a career and a fulfilling life outside the office. The days of everyone sitting at their desk from 9am to 5.30pm, five days a week, have gone. Parents in Walnut Unlimited appreciate that they can work part-time, have a fulfilling career and be promoted on merit – as they should.

I was promoted to managing director while working part-time and, subsequently, to insight partner for the Unlimited Group. My working hours were not even discussed, as I had demonstrated I could work at a senior level part-time. I am expected to manage my workload and rightly so.
I can honestly say working part-time hasn’t been an issue for me. There was a more general fear (from me and others) 21 years ago that I wouldn’t be able to service my clients well if I was not there all of the time, but that’s never been a reality. More and more of our clients are appreciating part-time working, and it’s accepted that work can be covered as well (if not better) by multiple minds. There is a need, as in any job, to juggle commitments and allow for a degree of give and take. And there is always plenty to do – it’s all about setting priorities.

Naturally, there have been challenges along the way. When I first started, there were issues over self-worth and self-doubt about whether I could make it work. The phrase ‘part-timer’ was used by a few colleagues to suggest a lack of commitment. I guess I worked extra hard to prove a point.

I think the biggest concern is the effect my reduced hours might have on others. Meetings are sometimes arranged on a day when I’m out of the office – it’s important not to take it personally. I might need to ask for a meeting to be moved or to find a way of giving my input in advance and being updated afterwards. A client might have an urgent request and my colleagues will have to decide whether to handle it themselves or give me a call. It can be difficult on occasion, as I don’t want to slow the business down – and I certainly don’t want to make extra work for anyone else.

So here are my tips on working part-time in a senior role:

• Delegation is key – and not simply because it is impossible to accomplish everything yourself. It creates opportunities for others to take on responsibility and accept challenges. None of us is indispensable; think about succession planning. It doesn’t make much difference to colleagues if I’m out at a client meeting or on leave – there will be arrangements in place
  
• We know how to plan when we go on holiday; use the same principles around key staff cover when you are not in the office
  
• Establish clear roles and responsibilities. People need to know what is expected of them and who to turn to if necessary. Collaborative working is essential and trust is key to working part-time. I have faith in the people I work with; I don’t need to be there to make every decision
  
• Set clear boundaries between work and private life. Establish when is it acceptable to be contacted outside working hours and when it is not. What I choose to do may, as a leader, create a perception that I expect this of others, so it is important to be clear
  
• Create a supportive environment. A colleague who works part-time should not be asked to fit five days of work into three
  
• Model the right behaviour. Part-time does not mean less committed. When at work, work hard.

As millennials become a larger part of the work force, flexible working patterns are likely to become the norm. Successful agencies will need to embrace flexibility and create a culture where it works for employees, clients and the business.

This article was first published in Issue 25 of Impact.