Having the flexibility to work from home has many benefits and is becoming increasingly popular. Lengthy commutes can be draining and a big waste of time, and if we’re realistic, the office isn’t always the most productive environment to be in.
A recent survey has estimated that by 2028, 73% of all departments will have remote workers, with 33% of full-time workers being out of the office. If you’re keen to start introducing more flexibility into your week and would like the option of working from home, you’ll need to broach the subject with your manager.
Here’s how to boost your chances of them agreeing to let you work from home.
1. Be an excellent employee
Your manager will only be open to letting you work from home if you have earnt their trust and they know that you are a good worker. They may have had some negative experiences of letting employees work from home in the past in which case it is even more important that they have 100% trust in you.
In order to start building trust and showing that you are an excellent employee you should ensure you:
- Arrive at the office on time
- Show that you are invested and passionate about the company
- Demonstrate that you are valuable and indispensable
- Have good communication skills
Essentially, if you are a fantastic employee there’s no way that your manager will want to lose you. They will be more inclined therefore to give you more flexibility and to trust you to continue to be great.
2. Ensure you have the resources
If you want to be working from home, you’ll need to ensure that you have the tools and technology to still do your job without any disruptions. For example, you’ll need to have a high speed and reliable internet connection. You may also want to look into video conferencing tools so that you’re able to easily attend meetings remotely.
3. Make your case
Once you’re happy that you could work from home without any issues, it’s time to think about how you’re going to pitch it to your manager. You’ll need to explain your reasons which may include better childcare solutions, avoiding a difficult commute or being able to focus better away from a busy office.
Other proven benefits for the business include:
- Higher employee job satisfaction rate
- A reduction in employee turnover
- Increased productivity levels
- Less sick days
- Increased profit and lower office costs
4. Have a plan
Even if your manager is aware of the benefits of working from home, they may have concerns about how exactly it will work for you and their business. As part of your proposal, you should have a clear plan for how you plan to make remote working feasible for you. This should include:
- What your work schedule will be and when you will be available
- How often you plan to work from home
- Where you’ll be working i.e. a home office as opposed to from your bed
- How you will handle distractions if there are any
- How you will collaborate with colleagues remotely
- Any new processes that would need to be introduced
- A plan for a trial run
Prove yourself
If you can convince your manager to let you trial working from home, then you have the perfect opportunity to show them that you can deliver on your promises. Unfortunately, many employers have a negative impression of employees who work from home, so you’ll still need to prove them wrong.
Go above and beyond to demonstrate that you are more productive and successful when working remotely and let your results do the talking.
Bringing it all together
Having the flexibility to work from home not only benefits the employee but also the employer. While you may have to warm your manager up to the idea of letting you work from home, if you can win them around and prove that it works you’ll both be able to see the rewards. Good luck!