Update!! Help:WFH proposal convincing work to allow me...

[cjcouple]

During Covid we went 100% remote (architectural firm).   Well, effective May 1, they want everyone back to 3 days a week in the office. 

I honestly get more work done at home.  I also have a pup that is not used to being in a crate all day.  I work 50 mins away as well so no stops at home.  And truthfully 2 hours of commuting every day seem absurd when I could be online and getting my work done.  I'd like to ask for an exception. Even if that means 2 days a week and my husband (he's retail) can get 1 day off and one closing shift so it'll just leave the pup in a crate for half a day.  

I don't want to use the dog as an excuse for why I can't work though so I need help drafting a proposal about work efficiency...lol. I'm not the best at writing things in a professional way.  Anyone ever do this? Id truly appreciate any help you can give.  If it helps I did negotiate Fridays WFH before covid so they do allow it in some cases. I am looking for my old proposal but not sure I saved it.   

thanks 
_____________________________________________________

Update: they approved my proposal.  So relieved!  So I will be working 7-4 Ms & Ws  

[bee20]

This is tough because once more people are back in the office there becomes a tipping point where it's very obvious when folks are not in the office and those people feel pretty distant. One thing you could consider proposing is not working 8 hour days on your office days. Maybe be in the office say 7-2, and work 3-5 those days from home (or vice versa, 7-9 at home, 10-4 in the office). You walk the dog when you get home so he's only in the crate half a day.

ETA: As for business needs, unless you can point to something that you need uninterrupted time for (ie, running payroll every Friday would be easier from home) it's probably more a benefit for you than directly to the business.  That's fine, another benefit you get is pay and health insurance, but you might frame it as "I see this as part of my total benefits for working here, and it's disappointing to see that change."

[mae0111]

I was kind of thinking the opposite of bee20, in that I'd ask to do maybe one really long day in the office. Go in early and leave late. Is there anyone that could help with the dog? Would s/he do well at daycare? Some daycares even do drop off and pick up. Or maybe have a walker come a couple of times? Could you gate the dog into a room rather than crate all day?

One long day gets you the face time and the office time, but the bad commute only happens once a week.

[k3am]

How are they enforcing the 3 day a week policy? What's the general sentiment from your other office coworkers? How is your relationship with your manager?

My office is "mandatory 5 days a week in the office." I work from home on Wednesdays still, occasionally Fridays, and whenever my schedule allows it, I try to leave by 2:30 so that my commute takes 20 minutes vs. 40. My boss and I have a good relationship and they want to keep me happy. I know that people in other departments have been fired and or quit over their refusal to come into the office. And a couple of people have somehow negotiated WFH the majority of the time.

DH's office has announced reopening plans so many different times and none of them stick. Right now they have a "mandatory 50% of the time in the office" - but there are no metrics for what 50% of the time is and no one enforces it. He's basically highly encouraged his team to be in the office on T/Th and requires in person attendence (with notice) for certain days.

So basically, before making waves, I think you need to get the best idea possible of how likely they are to actually make it a requirement and enforce it as of 5/1, the likelihood that you'll be able to negotiate more, and if you're willing to quit over it. And a vague "three days a week" policy, vs. a harder outlined mandatory M/W/F or the like makes it harder to track who actually is in on what day.

I'm not help on the actual negotiations - I just told my boss "this is what's happening" and he said okay. But I also knew in advance that he didn't care much.

[waverly]

I agree with pp maybe ask for in person 1 day a week "to meet up in person to bounce ideas off each other". Ask for the rest of the days remote because you are able to get more work done. Fancy that wording up. Something like,

Dear Boss,

I am open to the idea of returning to the office. I see the value in meeting up in person to bounce ideas off each other. However, I was wondering if I could do 1 day a week instead of 3. I have found in my experience working from home that I am able to maximize efficiency and deliverables on my remote days. This is because I am able to log in earlier and log off later due to eliminating the commute. I am also more efficient due to less distractions. I am finding that my drawings are more accurate, detailed, and thoughtful from my time at home. I've also been able to meet client expectations better (insert example). Client X recently called me and stated how much they valued my work and appreciated my help throughout their build. Working from home has allowed me more flexibility to visit client sites and building permit offices, and therefore I have been able to achieve X for our clients. I was wondering if we could have a phone call to discuss this proposal.

Something like that?

I would also wait and see how it plays out before bringing it up unless you know it's going to be a hard and fast enforced rule.

I have been back 4 days a week since June 2020. And back 5 days a week since June 2021. I still have flexibility to work from home if I have an appointment though.

ETA- Did you have a good performance review?  I hate to see you open up performance if it might be medium instead of stellar.  But, I am assuming it is good.  

[ECB]

Is there stuff you've been able to do BECAUSE you're at home?  As in - do you have any way to show/state that by NOT having to spend 2 hours in the car, you've been able to do _____?   In essence, that you've been able to be more flexible in your start/end hours and therefore have been able to handle certain issues that have come up?  Where as, if you have to commute, you'll lose that flexibility?

[cjcouple]

bee20, I plan to keep the proposal structly to how the business benefits from my working from home (Productivity, flexibility, cost savings, etc)

mae0111, I am heading in for 1 day a week for the most part now. I go in on my husbands day off. I definitely will need to consider doggy daycare if they say no to my proposal which I truly don't think they will if I give a strong enough case. I truly can't do a long day since my kids schedules are super busy) That circumstance may change once/if my oldest gets a car and I appreciate the idea to mull over.

k3am, they basically rolled it out in the annual form wide meeting. The studio leaders will enforce it and approve your days. It's kind of complicated because I don't have a manager or a studio leader. I report directly to the CFO and he doesn't really touch base. I see him at the Christmas party once a year or in passing once in a while. He's a nice guy, very hands off though.

I have unique role because the people I assist are not in even in the office much. They are on jobsites, traveling, or work remotely or in other offices (RI, MA, DE, FL, CO). It's always been this way even before covid. It's just the nature of our dept. One guy traveled to ND from CT every other week for over a year. I literally sit by 2 people who pop in and out throughout the day on SOME days and they are not working from home.

There are more distractions when I am in the office from people I don't even work with (stopping to chat, on phone calls, having loud conversations). No one has an enclosed office so its loud. Everyone is in a cube except our HR person and the CFO. Its absurd. But you know its all about collaboration. Only issue is, I don't need to collaborate. I push emails! lol

[cjcouple]

waverly, thank you - that is very helpful. I've had 1 review in the 7 years I have been there and it was great. My boss doesn't seem to care what I am doing as long as I am pushing the work and keeping the people I assist happy. (I am). A few often say I am too efficient because I push things a little too quickly. lol

ECB, yes, the flexibility is definitely going into my proposal along with my productivity. Unfortunately, they will lose some flexibility on my commuting days. I will have to have hard log off times. Whereas now, I am able to accommodate others and stay on late when needed or to push a hot item.

Once my computer is off, it's staying off. I'm not driving an hour home and hooking back up for any evening work. I just need to word that correctly/professionally.

[cjcouple]

thanks all - I think I can put together a decent proposal with all of your guidance and thoughts. I appreciate it!! I'll let you know how it goes. I won't present it until April (May 1 is the effective hybrid day)

[bee20]

Good luck! The compensation and benefits piece was actually huge to our senior management in understanding why mid managers were pushing for flexibility. We gave out 6% average raises this year when inflation was 11%. Allowing remote work allows people to save time and money and feel more satisfied in their roles without asking for that full 11% COL raise.

[sandandsea]

I would also suggest that the team you work with be in the office on the same days and that you’re making a purposeful plan to connect and collaborate in person because there is value there but in a coordinated effort for maximum benefit.

[livinitup]

I like working in the office and have a short commute. That said, our requirement to work in-office 3 days/week has little to no benefit to the company. We all eat our lunch on our own, all of our meetings are on video at our desks, and I am in the office and alone (or almost) on a regular basis (just because other people randomly work from home on the same days). It’s a friendly place but it’s NOT necessary to collaborate for effective work. Saying that out loud seems to be very taboo.

We can bring our dogs to the office and I did today. So, that’s good.

Can you think of any benefits to the company for authorizing your position as 100% remote? Can they reduce rent or space they pay for your position?

I agree it’s an oddly tough sell to say their experienced, effective worker should be able to work off-site. Try to think of some benefit to them. I’d also consider the “ask” to be something official like re-classifying the position as 100 % remote with specific caveats like (remote location within 100 miles of the office/in state - for tax purposes), in-office attendance for specific meetings with 2-day notice, etc (the stuff that matters for official remote jobs).

Good luck, I hope they say yes to your request. Or at least go dog-friendly.

[ECB]

Feb 27, 2023 13:42:20 GMT -5 bee20 said:

Good luck! The compensation and benefits piece was actually huge to our senior management in understanding why mid managers were pushing for flexibility. We gave out 6% average raises this year when inflation was 11%. Allowing remote work allows people to save time and money and feel more satisfied in their roles without asking for that full 11% COL raise.

In this vein - my university made us start to come back in the office over summer of '21.  It didn't go well.  Record high retirements/early retirements in Aug/Sept of that year.  People didn't want to come back in the office so they left!  It was a HUGE eye opener, and so the university then started surveying people about what they wanted, and realized people want the flexibility to WFH if they are able.  We all ended up back home in Dec '21 because of omicron - and basically I've been WFH about 90% ever since.   Even my CIO, who historically hasn't been a fan of WFH, is sitting back and letting us do what we want.  

He requires an occasional "all hands meeting" where we have to come in (had one just last week) - people grumble about it but now if he requires it, I'll gladly come in if that means he will continue to not care if I'm WFH most of the time!  

cjcouple, I'd absolutely stress the flexibility.  "I can be available for a longer period of time daily OR I can come into the office and not be available at all once I leave the office".  If you have examples - give them!  If you have any sense of how often this may effect you, include it.  

[sdlaura]

Is everyone going to be in the office on the same days, or does each person decide? Is there a core day that everyone is there?

In my case, Wednesdays are our core day when everyone is expected to be there unless you’re on client travel (which lately, I seem to be every Wednesday). So in that case if I were you, I would propose going to the office only on Wednesdays and make the case for increased efficiency/ability to work longer because no long commute on the other days.

[mommyatty]

I also have a situation where my teams are all over the country (and all over the world, honestly) and I used that to justify working from home permanently. I think if you’re coming-located with your team, going in is really helpful. But if they aren’t located with you, what the heck. How does my taking Teams calls at a desk in an office differ from taking Teams calls at a desk in my house?

[whiskeytails]

My office did a return to work 2 days a week starting last June. Our team generally came in on Tuesday and one other day of the week.

After 7 months of this, and seeing how there was no value-add to staff—we suddenly didn’t have more ✨collaboration ✨and the office was still quiet, they’ve cancelled the requirement. It helped as more teams were hiring full-remote employees and it didn’t make sense to require time in the office strictly based on mileage away.

It did take a little bit of gentle prodding, but I’m glad leadership changed course and I think it will result in happier and healthier employees as well as better retention.

[cjcouple]

Update in OP

[tacokick]

Yay!! Great update