How To Ask Your Employer To Let You Work From Home

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Working from home is a dream for many people who aren’t happy about getting up early, going to the office, and spending long hours at work. There are lots of benefits of remote work for employees.

An increasing number of people are choosing to work remotely. According to the latest State of the American Workplace report by Gallup, 43% of US employees worked from home in 2016 (versus 39% in 2012). Companies, in turn, offer flexibility and less frequently require an eight-hour presence at the workplace.

Working from home is a dream for many people who aren’t happy about getting up early, going to the office, and spending long hours at work. There are lots of benefits of remote work for employees:

  • Flexibility. Remote employees are flexible and can adjust their work hours to their lifestyles.
  • No dress code. Working from home, you can wear whatever you want.
  • No commuting. If you’re a remote worker, you don’t need to spend time travelling to work.
  • More time with family. Remote workers spend most of their time at home, so they enjoy far more time with their families.
  • Less stressful environment. People who work from home enjoy the cozy environment of their home.

Would you like to enjoy all of these benefits? If so, you should try approaching your boss and asking his or her permission to work remotely.


Strong Points to Convince Your Employer to Let You Work Remotely

Though some employers are quite open to remote work, many bosses still think that in-office employees are more productive. Therefore, you should carefully think how you’re going to approach your boss to persuade him or her that you’ll be as productive working from home as you are in the office (or even more).

To help you get ready, we’ve selected the strongest arguments that will help you move from the office to the coziness of your abode.


Argument #1: Higher Productivity

Let’s face the truth: your boss doesn’t care about how tiresome commuting is or how little time you spend with your loved ones. Productivity is what all employers want from their workers. Therefore, first of all you need to persuade your boss that you’ll remain productive when working at home.

Strange as it may seem, those who work from home are likely to be even more productive than those who work in the office. According to a publication by the Stanford Business School, volunteers who worked from home showed a 13% performance increase. People who work from home don’t take as many breaks and usually don’t need sick days (unless they have a serious health issue, of course).

Also, draw your employer’s focus toward  people’s natural rhythms. People aren't equally productive over all eight hours of a standard workday. Instead, researchers have found a natural productivity cycle, suggesting that employees show the best performance for only three to four hours per day.


Argument #2: Your Problem

You shouldn’t tell your boss that you wish to work remotely for no reason. You need to have a justification. If you express your pain, your employer is more likely to feel compassion and agree to your request.

Think about the most important reason you want to be a remote worker. For example, maybe you live too far from the office and commuting totally drains your energy, or maybe you need to help your spouse with the kids.

Don’t lie, however, as lying to your boss might get you fired.


Argument #3: It's Easy to Stay in Touch

You should convince your boss that your absence from the office won’t lead to poor communication with your team or with him or her. There are plenty of tools you can use for remote communication and collaboration.

It goes without saying that you should be available by phone, since your employer might need to call you during work hours.


Argument #4: Daily Reports

Many employers are against remote work as they can’t control what their employees do during working hours. Thus, you should tell your boss you’ll send daily reports to keep him or her fully informed about your activities.

Thanks to these reports, your employer will know you aren’t slacking off.


Argument #5: A Routine Approved by Your Employer

Working from home doesn’t mean you can work anytime you want. In fact, you should still come up with a daily routine and strictly follow it. Working from home isn’t synonymous with taking a chill pill and lying on the couch.

Show your routine to your employer and ask for approval. This way, your boss will feel more confident about your working from home. Of course, if you need to change your routine, inform your boss and, if need be, your team.


Wrapping Up

Working from home can be a real advantage, allowing you to be productive, reach your goals, and stay motivated. If you’ve never worked from home, you can prepare by following several simple tips.

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