After experiencing the benefits of remote working, a lot of employees are looking to make that feeling permanent. So you’re not alone.

Wanting to work-from-home permanently for good reasons doesn’t make you a bad employee. In fact, according to a work-from-home survey conducted by Global Workplace Analytics, 68% of employees believe they’re more successful working from home. In addition to increased productivity, some employees are scared for their health because of the potential exposure to the COVID-19 virus.

If you can relate to the reasons above and you’re beginning to hear about all staff going back to the office, we understand your confusion. Here are some tips to ask your employer about the possibility of work-from-home permanently.

Determine the best method to talk

The answer to any request depends greatly on the method with which one presents it. You may need to figure out the best way to get an audience with your employer that will allow you to express yourself best. 

It can be via email, phone call or a physical meet. It can also be a blend of all three methods. Once you’ve decided what method is best to have the conversation, then you can come up with a presentation plan that best fits.

Have a presentation plan

Even if you have a cordial relationship with your boss, it’s more professional to come with a formal proposal. It’ll show how serious you are about the request, and this may compel your employer to take it seriously too.

You can state a proposed schedule – such as how many days of the week you’ll work-from-home, your availability via email, calls, chat, etc. You can also highlight your understanding of the difficulties of working from home and how you can combat it.

Come with the facts

To make a better case, you should come with facts. Your facts would help your boss see the bottom-line benefits for the company and the team through clear information.

Draft out clear metrics that support your case and show good results. You can also state your wins and the level of productivity that you achieved during the compulsory work-from-home. Another point is to show how your team collaboration has been top-notch so that they have nothing to worry about. To win the fight to work-from-home permanently, your company would need to see why.

Be clear about how your duties will be performed

When it comes to allowing staff work-from-home permanently, most employers may fall back on the notion that work is generally better done in the office, however, some roles function optimally remotely. So it’ll be in your interest to help your company see that.

To put the icing on the cake, you can show your employer how much you’ve thought the plan through, by clearly explaining how you intend to perform your duties efficiently. You can highlight specifically what you’ll do to cover up potential lapses and make up for when that inevitably happens.

Make a human connection

No matter how professional this conversation should be, creating a human connection is key. Bearing that in mind allows you to appeal to whoever you’re speaking to from a balanced mix of logic and emotions.

It is also important to make room for a follow-up conversation while keeping an open mind. State your willingness to discuss other options, concerns and benefits that may come up.

In conclusion, not all employers will embrace this idea with open arms, so a negative answer may be an option. However, you’ll never know what camp your boss belongs to if you don’t ask. So do your research, make a compelling case, reassure your company that you’re up to the task, then wait for your answer – hopefully, you’ll find yourself being able to work-from-home-permanently. We’re rooting for you!

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