Greg Kratz* says now is the perfect time to change work schedules and gives advice on how people can get their boss on board.
As the world recovers from the pandemic, more employers will bring employees back to the office.
But, that may not mean five in-person days a week for everyone.
A survey by Microsoft found that 66 per cent of employers are redesigning their workplaces to accommodate a hybrid work schedule.
Many workers enjoy working at home, with 73 per cent of survey respondents that they want flexible work options, and 67 per cent saying they want more in-person interactions with teammates.
But not every employer will choose a hybrid model, and some companies will return to the office permanently.
If you’ve discovered the benefits of remote work, consider asking your current employer for a hybrid work arrangement. Here’s how.
Time it right
Depending on your situation, you might be able to wait for an upcoming performance review or a regular one-on-one with your boss to broach the subject.
But if you can’t wait, schedule a specific time with your boss to discuss it.
Send a quick email asking for a date and time to meet.
Explain that it will be a short meeting, maybe 30 minutes, and that you want to discuss your schedule.
Be specific
Make your request as specific as possible.
For example, if you say, “I want to work at home a few days a week,” your manager might think that one day a week is enough.
Instead, give a specific schedule. “I want to work at home on Mondays and Wednesdays.”
Then explain why you chose those days and discuss how it will help the company and your productivity.
“Mondays and Wednesdays work best because those are the days I don’t have any team meetings and when I usually do deep work.
“I’ll be able to get more done at home since I won’t have to worry about the commute or any office distractions.”
Specificity is important. It will help your manager understand that you’ve got a well-thought-out plan.
Prepare your talking points
This doesn’t have to be as formal as a slide deck (but it can be if you want!).
Jot down a few notes to help you remember what you want to say.
Be clear about how your hybrid schedule will help your boss, the team, and the company.
Practice in advance
Ask a trusted colleague or family member to listen to your plan and presentation.
Seek honest feedback about your ideas.
Are you specific enough? Backing up your request with data? Speaking with confidence?
Explain the benefits
While there are many ways that a hybrid schedule will benefit you, it’s far more effective to explain how your hybrid schedule can benefit your employer.
It can be even more persuasive if you use remote work statistics to back up your explanations.
Assuming you’ve been working remotely during most of the pandemic, you have access to plenty of data about your productivity and performance benchmarks while working remotely.
You can use this to your advantage.
“Collect any data that can reflect an increase in your productivity, collaboration, and so on that occurred while you worked remotely,” says Betsy Andrews, Career Coach at FlexJobs.
Emphasize communication and accountability
Your ability to communicate and work effectively with your teammates will be vital to your success.
Explain how and when you’ll communicate your progress and how you’ll collaborate on work-from-home days.
“I’ll respond promptly to Slack messages, document all my progress in the project management tool, and send an email round-up at the end of every week.”
Offer a trial run
Your manager may be a bit reluctant to try out a hybrid work arrangement for various reasons.
If you’re sensing any resistance, offer a trial run to test things out.
Work with your manager to set-up concrete and objective goals that can measure your productivity and performance.
At the end of the trial period, meet up with your manager and discuss the results.
A hybrid future
While following these guidelines will help you ask for a hybrid work schedule, your manager may still be reluctant.
If that’s the case, be gracious and be sure to gather feedback in case the opportunity presents itself again in the future.
*Greg Kratz is a contributing writer for FlexJobs.
This article first appeared at flexjobs.com.
