Now that restrictions are scaling back, many do not want to return to the office. An April 2020 IBM study polled more than 25,000 U.S. adults and found that 54 percent of respondents would prefer remote to be their primary way of working.
Many companies are responding. Facebook announced it would expand remote options for employees. Even auto-manufacturers like Ford, GM, and FCA have said they will keep many employees working remote.
But what if you do not work for Ford or Facebook? What if your employer is not altering work policies and expects everyone to be back in the office once restrictions are lifted?
If you are in that position, and want to work remote, here are five things to consider before having that conversation with your superior.
1. Research your industry and organizational norms
Feasibility is a quick determinant of whether you can work remotely or not. For example, the employees that auto-manufacturers will allow to work remotely are primarily white-collar workers. It would be hard for the manufacturers themselves to build a car from home. So, before you get ahead of yourself,
look into industry and company norms.
2. Evaluate your current performance
How is your
work performance? Are you a top performer or making it by on cruise control? Do you often receive positive performance reviews? Your employer will likely want to retain top talent, and is therefore more likely to accommodate remote work requests if it fears denying such request could lead to losing key members of the organization. If you aren’t there yet, don’t lose hope. Put in the extra time first and then discuss remote work when your performance improves.
3. Focus your pitch on company benefits
There are plenty of reasons you might want to work remotely. Maybe it is to spend more time with your kids. Maybe you want to be closer to your dog. Or maybe you would prefer to be working from a beach in South America. Whatever the reason, make sure when you speak with your boss, it isn’t all about you. You will increase your chances of success by explaining how such a decision will also benefit the company.
Consider the difference between the following examples:
Example 1: “If I can work from home, I’ll be able to spend more time with family and friends, and save money commuting.”
Example 2: “Studies have shown a boost in remote productivity over office-based productivity. Not to mention, working from home will allow the company to save more than $5,000 a year.”
Which of these two examples do you think your boss will find more convincing?
4. Figure out the logistics beforehand
As you likely experienced during COVID-19, going remote is more than just taking your laptop home. There are many concerns over things like having the right equipment and ensuring proper data security. You should be prepared to answer any concerns your boss may have over these and other issues. If your office uses a VPN, figure out how you can access it from home. If you
need gear for your home office to create a real work space, make sure you get everything you need.
5. Suggest a trial period
If your boss is still unsure, suggest a trial run. While Covid-19 was a trial run in many ways, many did not have the time to fully prepare. Not to mention, there were plenty of other distractions that made it much more difficult.
If you do participate in a trial run, make sure, at the very least, that your work remains constant. Ideally, you improve and become more productive. It is always harder to argue with results.
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