Since the pandemic, working from home has become the new normal. Even though some people couldn’t wait to get back in the office, for many working from home has increased their productivity and created a better work-life balance. So it’s no surprise that many have dreaded going back to the office. If you’re one of those people and are thinking about asking your employer whether you can continue to work from home, here’s how you can go about it.
Assess your situation
Start by assessing why you want to work from home. Perhaps you’re moving home and this will increase your commute time to the office. Maybe you’re returning back to work from maternity leave or find that you’re more productive when working from home. Whatever the situation may be, make sure that you have a clear reason for why you want to switch to a work from home setting and how this would impact your position.
Identify the benefits
Once you’ve thought about your ‘why’, identify the benefits. How would working from home benefit you and your family. You would want to be able to clearly explain to your employer how this would not only add to the quality of your life, but also how it would improve your work performance.
For example, working from home could benefit you in the following ways:
- It increases your productivity and you’re able to get more work done
- Skipping commute could help you start work earlier
- You’re able to spend more time with your children/family
- It helps you save on nursery costs
- You’re able to drill down on projects without interruption
Ask your employer face-to-face
Avoid asking your employer via email. Your work from home proposal should be discussed in person so that you’re able to clearly address any concerns and answer questions your employer might have. Allowing one person to work from home, for most employers, usually means that they may have to extend this benefit to the whole company as well. However, don’t let this put you off from asking as you do have the right to be considered on an individual basis.
For some job roles, working from home can be challenging, especially when you’re in a highly client-facing role. Perhaps a hybrid work arrangement could be negotiated so that you can work from home on the days that you’re not meeting any clients.
Asking your employer can feel nerve-wrecking, however finding the right opportunity and making sure you put down clear reasons as to why this work from home arrangement would benefit both you and your employer could lead to a successful outcome.
