The fact that many employees want to continue working from home probably comes as no surprise to employers. Many have already built more flexible work-from-home policies. Some companies are even allowing employees to continue remote work permanently.
But not every workplace has committed to a plan and employees interested in continuing to work remotely still have a shot at making their case. Asking to work from home permanently is a major step that requires a serious conversation with your boss. While some bosses may be more receptive to it than they would've been five years ago, you still need to make a strong case for it.
If you're going to make this pitch to your manager, here's what you need to do:
Be Prepared To Talk About Productivity
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Businesses want to be efficient and profitable, so they expect a certain amount of productivity from employees. When you ask to work from home permanently, the first two things your manager will want to know are why and how it will impact your productivity.
The "why" could be for a host of reasons—better work-life balance, flexibility, and to reduce commute time, to name just a few. In asking "why," managers just want to make sure you're not losing interest in your job or the company. Ultimately it's the question about productivity that will carry the most weight.
If you worked from home during most of the COVID-19 pandemic, you're fortunate in the fact that you'll be able to have concrete examples of what your work from home productivity looks like. Be prepared with specific examples of how you not only met productivity goals but exceeded them.
If a manager sees that an employee is not only meeting their goals while working from home, but exceeding them, it not only strengthens that employee's case for working from home, but it could change the manager's entire outlook on remote work policies.
Work Out An Agreeable Schedule
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While the reasons employees want to work from home may vary, schedule flexibility is usually near the top. This is understandable! Life is not "one size fits all." People need flexible work schedules to take care of their families and themselves.
If you're going to take advantage of this flexibility, you need to communicate with your manager on a weekly (and sometimes daily) basis on what hours you're going to be working and how you can be reached.
It's important to remember that flexibility works both ways.
There could be occasions when your manager needs you to be available during certain hours, or may even need you to come into the office for a company-wide meeting or initiative. Both sides should be open to some give and take.
Make A Plan To Be Seen And Heard
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Working remotely doesn't mean you should be out of sight, out of mind. In fact, you need to be as engaged as ever.
Coming up with a strong communication plan is a good place to start. Plan out how many video meetings you think you'll need to have every week with co-workers and supervisors to discuss tasks, long-term projects, and strategy. You should also be active in group chats and Slack groups.
While communication flow may change weekly, a good rule of thumb is to never go a day without talking to someone.
In addition to building a strong communication plan, tell your boss how you will continue to add value to the workforce.
Are you one of the first employees to go remote permanently? Perhaps you can lead the way in shaping the policies in the remote work community that will allow your co-workers to work from home.
If you're joining an already-established remote workforce, pitch ideas on how to promote camaraderie within the remote workforce and between the remote workforce and the office.
Being active like this not only keeps you engaged, but it positions you as a leader.
Show A Willingness To Be Patient
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Do you know what they say about the best-laid plans?
Work from home plans may hit some speed bumps along the way, so don't be afraid to make adjustments or try new things. What you learn can also be important lessons for the company.
You may also find that over a longer period of time, working from home permanently isn't the right fit for you. That doesn't mean you were wrong for trying it. Every unique experience helps you grow as an employee.
Ultimately, if you want to be successful at working from home, it will take a combination of patience, flexibility, and good communication.
Did you know that Work It Daily can help you find a remote job?
Work It Daily highlights remote job opportunities on a daily basis on TikTok. You can also check out Work It Daily's Incredible Companies page to see snapshots of companies hiring for remote positions.
