Been dreaming of taking that year-long backpacking trip across Europe? Or maybe sitting in a windowless cubicle for 40 hours a week has you feeling like you sold your soul for a 401K? Whatever your qualms may be about working in-office, there’s one important thing to realize: you don’t have to be there. There, we said it.
Asking your employer if you can work remotely isn’t as far-fetched of an idea as you may think. Need some help preparing for that conversation? Check out our tips and make a game plan. We’re rooting for you!
First things first, schedule a meeting with your employer. Making the switch from a full-time, in-office employee to a remote worker is not the type of discussion you want to have on the fly. By scheduling a meeting with your employer, you give yourself time to prep, prepare a small presentation (even if it’s just a verbal one), and collect any of the stats you might want to share. Not to mention, a formal meeting shows that you're taking this subject seriously (and your employer will have a harder time brushing of the conversation).
Maybe you’re asking for full flexibility with your schedule, including the opportunity to work remotely five days a week if that’s what your heart so desires — but just because you’re ready to take the plunge into an entirely remote lifestyle doesn’t mean that your employer is. That being said, be ready to make some compromises. If your employer seems hesitant about letting you go remote five days a week, start with something simpler, such as getting permission to work remote two days a week. While this may not be your end goal, it is a starting place, and it will allow you the opportunity to prove to your employer just how productive you can be while working remotely.
It may seem obvious to you that you can perform your job responsibilities remotely, but remember, your employer is likely managing dozens of employees and might not know all the specifics of your position off the top of his head. Help him or her process the situation. List out what you do for the company (be as specific as possible!) and then discuss how you plan on accomplishing these tasks remotely. If you have a remote solution prepared for every aspect of your position, then it’s hard to argue against the transition.
When it comes to selling the point of why remote is better, there’s no shortage of facts to back it up. Rounded up below are some of our favorite numbers, and plenty more will bubble to the surface with a online search.
- 49% of top performing companies expect to accelerate their freelance hiring rate by 30% or more — Field Nation
- Happy people are approximately 12% more productive — Science Daily
- Average businesses save $11,000 per person per year with a 50% remote work schedule — Global Workplace Analytics
- 53% of telecommuters work more than 40 hours a week (versus 28% of non-commuters) — Inc Magazine
- Remote workers are 50% less likely to quit — ERE Media
- 65% of full-time employees think a flexible and remote schedule would increase their productivity — Sure Payroll
Sure, it’s pretty obvious to see why remote working will benefit you, but that’s just the half of the equation. Make sure you go over the five huge benefits of hiring remote workers, which include saving the company money, upping the employee retention rate, and benefiting the work day via flexible scheduling.
Once you’ve verbally made your pitch, hand over a printed document that includes all of the information you’ve just given your employer. Organize the data in a well-thought-out way that will be easy for your employer to read over again (either while you’re still in the meeting or after).
You want the conversation you have with your employer to be a genuine one, so be direct with asking your employer what types of concerns he or she might be having. Whether it be time zone challenges (if you plan on traveling), a lack of communication, or a fear of productivity loss, once you know what specific doubts your employer is having, you can then move forward in addressing them.
If you’ve gotten to the end of your meeting and your employer still isn’t budging, ask for a trial period. You can ask for a month-long trial period of working remotely, and tell your employers that if it doesn’t work out (because you’re either not being as productive as your were in-office or lacking in communication), you’ll return to the office. Asking for a trial period demonstrates your confidence in your ability to be a successful remote worker. It also gives you the opportunity to prove yourself.
Originally written by Chelsey Grasso on Remote.com