For an employee, it’s hard to find something more appealing nowadays than workplace flexibility.
Having freedom to come and go from the office and not be tied to a desk is important to many employees. An atmosphere like this is also more likely to bring a diverse workforce since younger generations and women alike are more apt to look for flexible jobs. If you’re someone who wants to have some flexibility and work in a hybrid position but your boss still wants you in the office full-time, here are a few ideas.
Be educated about your employer’s point of view.
With all the appeal of working from home, it is still a relatively new concept. This newness can bring uncertainty for an employer. They may also be concerned about how working from home negatively impacts workplace culture or cohesiveness among their teams. Solidly research the arguments your employer has against working from home so you can formulate some good arguments to counter them.
Be able to explain your side.
Avoiding a long commute isn’t the only reason to want to work in a hybrid position. Know all of your personal reasons for wanting a hybrid position and be able to articulate them. Perhaps you work in a global industry and having flexibility of hours would help facilitate communication overseas. Maybe you are the caregiver for a sick loved one. The reasons are really endless, but when you are able to state your case eloquently, your company will be more likely to at least let you try a hybrid set up on a temporary basis.
Demonstrate your strengths.
You always want to be showing off your skill sets to your employer, but this is especially true if you’re trying to convert your position to a hybrid one. List out ways that you provide value, have strong communication skills, and are self-disciplined enough to handle your workload. In the end, an employer just wants you to do a good job in your position, so demonstrate you can do that with real-life examples. Maybe show them the ways you utilize the task management software your company uses and how that would translate to you working from home.
However you approach this topic with your employer, speaking up for what you want only helps you be a stronger and more valuable employee.
Workplace flexibility is broad and far-reaching in that it means something different to everyone. If you find yourself in the position where you need this change in order to be happy or fulfilled in your position, dig deeper and ask why. If ultimately you’re burned out, you may also need to look at why while trying to fix it by working from home.
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