When you want to work from home, either once a week or all the time, it may be hard to convince your manager that such an arrangement may work.
You could well encounter a massive push back from your manager.
Below are tips to help you alleviate your manager’s fears and get that flexible/telecommuting work arrangement of which you’ve dreamed.
- Possibly the number one thing your manager fears is that if she lets you work from home, everyone in her department will want to, as well.
- The main thing you need to do is to really listen to your manager and reassure her that you understand her concerns and that should things get out of hand, you’re willing to renegotiate the flexible schedule.
- If you’re hoping to work from home full-time but believe your boss is balking big time because of the number of days, offer to work from home two or three days a week (the average telecommuting arrangement nationwide is two days a week, according to the International Telework Association).
- Put together a portfolio of studies that show the benefits of telecommuting not only for employees, but also to a company’s bottom line.
- Create accountability markers. You’ll need to show your boss that you’re at least as productive at home as you are in the office. Showing her that you get more done is even better! The two of you should create measurable goals and parameters. You can fax or e-mail your supervisor progress reports every day or so
- It takes considerable self-discipline to work from home. No one will be telling you how/when to work. Be honest with yourself; do you think you can really cut it? To convince your boss, show her your work ethic in her office. Power down and get ‘er done! Improve your time management skills.
- Tell your boss you’d like to have a trial telecommuting period. Ask her if you could work from home for at least one month and see how it goes. At the end of the trial period, write a report regarding how successful you believe it was, how much more you accomplished and otherwise show your boss how the trial benefited her/the company.
If you’re looking for more flexibility in your work life, consider working in temporary assignments. Here at the Opti Staffing Group, we have many short- and long-term temporary assignments that can help you create the flexible work circumstances you’ve wanted. Contact us today to learn more!