Working from home is great, especially if you live far from your job, you have to work weird hours, or for a variety of other reasons. Knowing how to talk your boss into letting you work from home could be a good way to finally strike a balance between your work and home lives.
Here’s how to do it:
- Realize that you’ll have to put in at least some time in the office. Your employer won’t let you telecommute after just a few weeks on the job; the amount of time you’ll have to travel can differ from one company to another.
- Do your job to the best of your abilities. Go the extra mile, and be flexible- take on tasks outside those required by your position, and take on a few extra work hours if needed. Your boss may not thank you out loud, but your hard work WILL be noticed. Doing a great job will make it easier to convince your boss to allow you to telecommute.
- Figure out if you can do your job just as well from home. Setting a schedule will show your employer that you’ve done some research; if you need IP telephony equipment, decide how you’ll get it. Be ready to spend your own money and time here.
- Try to think of reasons why your boss may be reluctant to let you work from home, and come up with rebuttals for those reasons. You have to think like a defense lawyer, and you may have to make concessions in some areas (such as working some holidays, or giving up small perks that other workers get).
- Ask your boss about the possibility of setting up a home office. Make a point of telling them you can still be productive working from home, and point out the advantages of telecommuting. Don’t go on and on about the high cost of fuel, or the inconvenience involved in traveling to and from your job; everyone has to deal with those problems, and complaining won’t sway their opinion one way or the other.
- Listen to your boss’s side of the story. If they want you to come into the office a day or two per week, be willing to bend a little. Extend an invite for them to come and see your workspace, if possible.
If your boss agrees that remote working would be a good fit for you and the company, do everything you can to keep on performing to the best of your abilities. Make up a work schedule, and stick to it! Be reachable by email and phone during those hours, and if you have children at home, let them know that during work you can’t be interrupted for petty squabbles. Don’t let household chores distract you; dirty laundry and dishes will still be there when the work day is over. If you continue to exceed your boss’s standards, they’ll be more likely to let you keep working from home.
About The Author:
This article was written by Amy Fowler on behalf of Maintel, experts in remote working and IP telephony. To see how their remote working or IP telephony solutions could help you, click here.
