With the pandemic slowing down and some semblance of normalcy looms over the horizon, some of us (with Work From Home arrangements that is) may be dreading going back to the workplace.
It seems like we’ve taken the whole WFH arrangements for granted over the past couple of years; and now we’re all dreading that email blast from HR telling us to get back to working from the office. Fret not however, as we’ve got a few pointers to negotiate for a flexible work schedule so that you’ll be performing at your best.
Speak To Your Superior First
Gone are the days where employees need to be monitored 24/7 (or 9-5 in most cases). If anything, we’d hazard a guess and say that the majority of employees and their managers prefer a WFH arrangement.
And some jobs/work cannot be done remotely, let's face it. However if you think yours can be executed with a working computer/connection, your best bet is to open the subject with your superior as they will have a better understanding of your job scope, your deliverables and whether you can achieve them from home.
It's likely that you can carve out an argument or arrangement that allows you to work remotely.
The issue is that in some companies, the culture may not allow this approach unless they're open to practicing it throughout the organisation (we're looking at you, Elon Musk).
Your manager will then be able to discuss that with the HR in charge and get the necessary approvals.
Show That Flexible Work Correlates To Positive Results
When you do approach your boss, the best way to convince him or her is with facts. It should go without saying that you need to have produced tangible results that a flexible work schedule allows you to be more productive, anything less than ideal is probably not going to work in your favour.
However, if you can show that working from home room has a direct and positive correlation to the work you’ve been producing, then your chances of a successful negotiation are *that* much better.
Stop us if you’ve heard this before, but we’re sure some of you absolutely despise the commute. Think about it, if you’re averaging a 30-minute commute one-way from your workspace 5 days a week, that’s 5 hours wasted sitting idly in traffic.
With a hybrid or fully WFH arrangement, you’re essentially eliminating wasted time and in turn, can be much more productive.
Once you have all the relevant information and facts at your fingertips, you're more likely able to build your case.
Propose A Hybrid Working Arrangement
We understand that certain employers are against a fully-WFH arrangement, but perhaps both parties can arrive at a compromise.
Actually, let’s play devil’s advocate and see why an employer might want for employees to be present in the office if possible:
From the employers perspective, it’s easy to see why they’d want their employees to return to the office. The space and amenities have been paid for, it’s easier to build rapport when face-to-face, troubleshooting problems becomes much easier in an office, and it’s ultimately easier for employers to keep track of tasks.
With that being said, all this depends on a case-by-case basis, and we believe that the best blanket solution would be a hybrid system where employees can work in the office for 3 days, and spend the 2 remaining work days from the comfort of their home.
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