Telecommuting and flextime are key tools for reducing the drag that your day job has on your activist, art or academic vocation.
If you’re going to suggest to your boss that you be given flextime, or be allowed to telecommute, make your case in a short written proposal that focuses not on your needs, but your employer’s. Your boss probably can already guess why telecommuting benefits you; what s/he really needs is information on how it will benefit – or at least not harm – your company. Maybe you’ll get more work done with fewer distractions; maybe you can work later hours or some weekends; or maybe you’ll spend more time helping customers or out in the community. More advice from The Wall Street Journal : “Anticipate and answer your boss’s potential objections, such as missing staff meetings or forcing co-workers to cover some parts of your job. Set criteria for evaluating your work-at-home setup and specify plans for assessing it after a pilot period, such as six weeks.”
And try to back up your proposal with some facts and statistics. The WSJ recommends these:
- the Website of telecommuting expert “Jack Nilles”: www.jala.com - www.telework.gov the federal government’s clearinghouse on telework; and - www.workingfromanywhere.org a Web site by WorldatWork, an advocacy and research group .
By the way, fundamental to all of this is being an excellent employee, so that your boss will be motivated to go to some trouble on your behalf. If you’re only a so/so employee, you’ll likely have a much harder time persuading him or her.
Hillary Rettig helps ambitious and creative people from all walks of life use their time better, create more rewarding careers, and overcome procrastination, perfectionism, fears, and blocks.
How to Get Your Boss to Say Yes to Telecommuting or Flextime
Telecommuting and flextime are key tools for reducing the drag that your day job has on your activist, art or academic vocation.
If you’re going to suggest to your boss that you be given flextime, or be allowed to telecommute, make your case in a short written proposal that focuses not on your needs, but your employer’s. Your boss probably can already guess why telecommuting benefits you; what s/he really needs is information on how it will benefit – or at least not harm – your company. Maybe you’ll get more work done with fewer distractions; maybe you can work later hours or some weekends; or maybe you’ll spend more time helping customers or out in the community. More advice from The Wall Street Journal : “Anticipate and answer your boss’s potential objections, such as missing staff meetings or forcing co-workers to cover some parts of your job. Set criteria for evaluating your work-at-home setup and specify plans for assessing it after a pilot period, such as six weeks.”
And try to back up your proposal with some facts and statistics. The WSJ recommends these:
- the Website of telecommuting expert “Jack Nilles”: www.jala.com
- www.telework.gov the federal government’s clearinghouse on telework; and
- www.workingfromanywhere.org a Web site by WorldatWork, an advocacy and research group .
By the way, fundamental to all of this is being an excellent employee, so that your boss will be motivated to go to some trouble on your behalf. If you’re only a so/so employee, you’ll likely have a much harder time persuading him or her.