How to Ask for Less Hours at Work (Sample Emails)

Do you want to know how to tell your boss you want to reduce hours? It’s important to know how to remain polite and professional when asking such things via email.

Luckily, this article is here to help. Here are the steps we recommend following before sending an email to your boss:

• Start with a polite greeting
• Explain why you want fewer hours
• Make sure your boss is in a good mood
• Explain the benefits
• Have a plan of action
• Be open to negotiation
• Offer a trial period
• Decide whether to be transparent
• Finish with a positive closer

Keep reading to learn how to ask to reduce hours at work. We’ve provided step-by-step instructions and some email samples to help you.

Sample Emails

Before looking into the individual steps, it’s worth reviewing some email examples. That way, you can see a professional email laid out before tackling it yourself.

Dear Mr. Jenkins,

I hope you are well. I was just wondering if it would be possible to ask for fewer hours.

It’s something I’ve been thinking about lately that I’m sure will boost my productivity and efficiency.

It will also save the company money, as I won’t need to be paid for full-time hours.

Of course, I am happy to negotiate the terms if that works better for you.

Please let me know what you think about my proposal.

I look forward to hearing from you,
Michael Button

Dear Ms. Barker,

How have you been getting on with the new starters? Since so many new people have joined, I wondered if you could lower my working hours.

It would benefit both of us, considering plenty of new people can take on my workload.

Also, I’m happy to do a trial period for you if that makes things easier.

Then, we can determine whether it’s appropriate for me to work part-time.

Since my baby has come along, it’s been harder for me to be away from home.

So, I’m asking you for fewer hours to spend more time with my family.

Thank you so much for your consideration,
George White

As you can see, there are plenty of things you need to remember before sending an email request about fewer hours. We recommend having good reasons to reduce working hours before even considering emailing your boss.

But let’s break down each part of the email. Then, you’ll better understand how you’re supposed to structure it.

1. Start With A Polite Greeting

Above all else, when writing a formal email or letter, you should always be polite with your greeting.

The politer you are when opening an email, the more likely you will be to catch the reader in a good mood.

So, when reducing hours at work due to stress or other related issues, you should remain polite. It would show you’re boss that you’re a valuable employee and let them know that you wouldn’t be doing this if you had another choice.

For example:

Dear Mr. Peters,

I hope you are well.

Dear Ms. Smith,

I hope this email finds you well.

A brief yet polite (and friendly) greeting will go a long way in most formal emails.

2. Explain Why You Want Fewer Hours

The next thing you have to worry about is your explanation. You should include your explanation as early as possible in a work-hour reduction letter. Then, you won’t leave any ambiguity for the reader.

We highly recommend including a brief yet clear explanation early in your letter. It’s a great way to let someone know why you’re looking to reduce your hours.

Perhaps a sample letter to reduce hours at work might help you understand more with this one:

I hope you are well. I am looking to work fewer hours because of my mental health.

Thank you for getting in touch. Would it be possible to work fewer hours, so I can focus on my studies?

As you can see, you need to have a reason for changing your working hours. But, as long as you’re honest about it, it should work well at the start of a letter.

3. Make Sure Your Boss Is In A Good Mood

Of course, this isn’t something you can clarify or demonstrate in an email format. We can’t provide an example that will help you understand this.

The simple fact is you need to know your boss’s schedule to ensure they’re happy.

If they’re not in a good mood, they’re much more likely to refuse your request. That’s not ideal when you’re reaching out to try and limit your working hours.

However, if you catch them in a good mood, they will be more inclined to consider or accept your request.

Hopefully, you’ll know your boss well enough to figure out what they’ve got going on during the week. You should avoid any days when they might be too busy or stressed to indulge your request.

If you can’t get that information, it’s worth talking to colleagues who might know more about your boss. Then, you can ensure you plan your email timing appropriately.

4. Explain The Benefits

You have every right to reduce working hours. However, you should also consider the options (both positive and negative) before doing so.

If you can comprehensively express the benefits of limiting your working hours, you’re more likely to get a positive response from your boss.

For example:

You would save money on the hours you stop paying me.

I will be more productive working fewer hours and fitting in the same workload.

These reasons are simple enough, but they work a treat. So, if you’re reducing hours at work due to mental health, time constraints, or other ventures, this is a great way to let your boss know that you’re willing to negotiate.

5. Have A Plan Of Action

Why do you want to reduce your hours at work? This section isn’t so much for a specific thing to include in a formal email.

Instead, it’s wise to understand why you’re sending the email in the first place.

For example, you shouldn’t just ask for reduced hours without good reason in any situation. The resulting email will come across as forced. It is also more likely to annoy your boss if you don’t have a genuinely good reason for taking hours off work.

6. Be Open To Negotiation

Sometimes, asking for reduced hours isn’t black and white. Instead, you might start a negotiation with your employer to figure out the best plan for both of you.

So, you should make it very clear that you’re happy to negotiate by including it in your email. You should say something clear and direct about how you’re happy to negotiate the terms before settling on anything.

For instance:

I am open to negotiation before we finalize any details.

Please let me know if you would like to negotiate the details first.

Giving your boss a chance to negotiate shows that you’re not trying to take advantage of them.

It shows that you would like might be reducing hours due to health or pressure, but you’re not going to do so until you’re convinced both parties are happy.

7. Offer A Trial Period

Knowing how to reduce hours at work is simple with a few negotiation tactics. Following the previous point, we recommend offering a trial before you settle on anything concrete.

Then, if your boss is on the fence about you reducing your hours, they can see how it works for a week or two. This gives them an idea about whether it will benefit them, in the long run, to have you working fewer hours.

Also, if it won’t work out, it’s best to find out as early as possible. That’s why we recommend suggesting a trial period to help your boss understand the pros and cons.

Perhaps these examples will help you understand how to go about this:

I am willing to offer a trial period before we decide on our next action.

Please give me a week to try my new hours before making any decisions.

8. Decide Whether To Be Transparent

Transparency and honesty are the best policy. You should always try to be upfront about why you want fewer hours. However, it’s not always necessary, depending on how well you know your boss.

If you get along well with your boss, it may be worth opening up to them. The more thorough and honest your explanation about reducing your hours is, the more likely they are to work with you.

Though, if you don’t know your boss very well, you may want to keep them in the dark a bit. You don’t have to reveal every detail. It’s up to you to decide how much you tell your boss in a formal email about reducing hours.

9. Finish With A Positive Closer

As with any formal email, finish as strong as you start. Your closer should be positive and polite. We highly recommend sticking to this formula to keep things as professional as possible.

Some great email closers you can use are:

• I look forward to hearing from you
• Let me know your thoughts
• Kind regards
• All the best
• Thank you for your time

Select something that sounds genuine and gives a good impression to your boss. The more polite and friendly you are, the more likely they are to help you.