How to Ask Your Company or Manager for Remote Work
It’s no secret that companies and managers are carefully luring their employees back into their offices this fall. Even though plenty of workers can’t wait to get back to water cooler chit-chat, there’s a large percentage of people that would love nothing more than to continue working from home. Some companies have put remote working protocols in place, but others just won’t have it. If your company isn’t offering remote work but you know it’s the right move for you, here’s how to ask your manager to allow you to continue working from home.
Benefits of Working From Home
Working from home doesn’t mean lounging around in pajamas and eating snacks during meetings with your camera off. Some great benefits come with working from home for employees and their bosses. 77% of remote workers say they are more productive when working from home. With the flexibility to choose their schedules and take breaks when needed, remote workers have more time to focus and be more productive. Working remotely also saves employees money on long commutes and lunch runs with colleagues. People with families also have a better balance with their children rather than coming home exhausted after a long day.
Working from home isn’t just great for employees. Employers with more remote workers can downsize or even get rid of their expensive office spaces, saving tons of money on rent payments every month. Remote workers are also more likely to take fewer sick days and dedicate more hours to the job.
How To Decide to Work Remotely Full Time
Even though you love working remotely now, once your colleagues start going back to the office, you might feel a little differently about it. Being in a minority of people working from home could change the flow of your workday. You may also think you'll be okay working alone, but it's easy to miss the social aspects of being in an office. It will take more effort to integrate yourself into company meetings and decisions. Ensuring that you can keep track of your work and speak up for yourself is key. If you know you can be your own advocate and make successful contributions to your workplace from home, then you can ask your boss to let you work from home permanently.
How to Ask Your Manager to Work Remotely Full Time
1. Come prepared with a list of details
Your manager will probably have tons of questions when it comes to how staying remote will work. Be sure to list out what it will look like for you to be working remotely. Plan out how you will attend meetings and who you will communicate with to patch you in. Show them what your schedule will look like too. Also, address how you are going to stay connected with your team. Whether that’s having an active chat on Slack or scheduling daily calls with your team to catch up. Be prepared to answer logistical questions about your tech and any other questions your manager may think up.
2. List out the benefits for both you and your employer
You already know that working at home is the best fit for your lifestyle and productivity. But is that clear to your employer? If it isn’t, you can outline some of the benefits your employer may expect. You could even add some bargaining power by offering to put extra hours on your schedule here and there. It’s a worthy sacrifice if you want to stay remote.
3. Show professionalism from home
When your colleagues go back to the office in business casual, you have to be ready to put away the sweatpants and throw on a work outfit too. Make sure you are always on time for meetings and update your status on your communication apps so your colleagues know when you are available. Communication is going to be the key to showing you can work from home without missing a beat.
Creating a dedicated, professional workspace is a great way to show your boss you are serious about working remotely. You can create this space in your home or go for a mobile remote option like Nest Vans. Just make sure you aren’t working from a coffee shop every day. Nest Vans are specifically for those with a busy household and who need a dedicated workspace. Make sure your Zoom background looks like a professional office, and you should be good to go.
4. Create a proposal
Create a detailed proposal to share with your boss. In your proposal, you should add essential metrics. Start keeping track of how long it takes you to do your tasks remotely versus when you worked on them in the office. If a task in the office took you two hours to complete, but only takes you 45 minutes at home, show it. Focusing on your KPIs and backing up your productivity with data gives your manager concrete evidence that remote work is the right choice.
5. Set up a meeting with your manager
Even though you may want to send your proposal to your manager in an email, it’s in your best interest to set up a face-to-face meeting. This way, you can go over every detail while giving them space to answer questions and figure out how this will work. A face-to-face meeting also shows you are serious about this and value their opinion in the decision. Be ready for any outcome, even a "no". If you get a "no" from your manager, you can try to compromise with a hybrid schedule, but be ready to have that conversation as well.
Work from anywhere with Nest Vans
Managers will be looking for ways for you to be professional and dependable while you work remotely. Investing in a mobile workspace allows you the freedom to have the work/life balance you desire without sacrificing professionalism. Rather than having kids running around in the background or coffee shop employees sweeping around you, working in Nest Vans gives you all of the benefits of remote work in a professional, private setting. With signal boosters, tons of storage, and office-style interiors, your employer may have trouble distinguishing your van from the next office over. Having a space legitimizes your work and your manager will notice. The balance of working from home is so desirable and will change the modern workplace forever. Enjoy working from the comfort of your van and see where it takes you!
