Rather work from home? Say this to your boss
Would you rather work from home several days a week, but don't know how to approach your boss about it?
Would you rather work from home several days a week, but don't know how to approach your boss about it?
There are many things you can say to your supervisor that will make telecommuting seem like the better option for both you and your employer.
It's not so uncommon these days to work from home anyway. A Census report last year found that the number of telecommuters is steadily increasing. The number of employees who worked from home at least one day per week increased by more than 2 million workers – a 1.7 percent change – from 2005 to 2010.
So what do you say to your boss if you'd rather have more work flexibility and save some commuting time and money? Fortunately, career site Salary.com listed out the best ways to negotiate with your manager about telecommuting.
One thing you can do to start off is to assess your job. Write down all of your daily responsibilities and duties, and then list out which ones can be done at home. This way, you'll be prepared to show your boss how you can be productive from home.
You can then create a proposal to present to your boss. "It can be very easy for your boss to reject your pitch outright if you don't have a written summary of your plan in place," the article states. Having your ideas written out with bullet points shows your boss that you've put a lot of thought into your decision to telecommute and you're serious about it.
You can also offer examples to your boss about other telecommuters. Find employees in your field who have successfully negotiated a work at home deal, and then tell your manager about their success. This way your supervisor will see that it is possible for someone in your position to successfully work from home.
If your boss is reluctant about letting you telecommute, you can ask to do it on a trial basis. One thing Salary.com suggests you say is, "Let's try this option for one month and see how it goes." Make sure you put a lot of effort into your work during that month, and show that your work performance will remain the same whether you work from home or in the office.