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Convince Your
Company To Turn Your Current Job Into A Telecommute Job
If you currently have a
"commute and cubicle" job, you should consider taking steps to
convince your company to allow you to telecommute. The fact is, if you
want to telecommute, this will be your best option for making the transition to
working at home in the shortest amount of time. If your company already has a telecommute policy or
flexible work program in place, you're even further ahead in the game.
Start by reading the following
two informative articles by Sharon Davis (2Work-At-Home.com).
Sharon's articles address considerations that you'll need to make if you want to
telecommute for an employer, and will provide a good framework on which to begin
building your proposal.
"Don't Quit Your Day
Job!":
Convincing Your Boss To Let You Telecommute (Part 1)
"Don't Quit Your Day
Job!":
Convincing Your Boss To Let You Telecommute (Part 2)
Next, check the list
of Telecommuting-Friendly Companies
to see if your company appears. If it doesn't, you can still find out
if your company has implemented such a policy by asking a representative in your Human Resources Department, or by reviewing
your company's employee handbook (if available).
If a policy or program is
already in place, gather as much information as possible about it, and learn
what you'll need to do to apply to the program. Also, ask for referrals to other
employees who are already participating in the program, and be sure to talk to
them. Learning from their experiences may help you to avoid any mistakes
or omissions commonly made by new applicants.
You should also realize that
your work ethic and work habits will play a significant and critical role in helping
to convince your supervisor to say "yes." Following are some of
the most important characteristics your company will look for:
- responsible
- productive
- able to work with no
supervision
- self-motivated
- able to meet deadlines
- have a sense of urgency or
purpose about their work
- mastered their jobs
- trustworthy
- disciplined
- organized
- detail-oriented
- good communications skills
(verbal and written)
If you've developed a solid
reputation for having these characteristics, you'll be well on your way to
earning your company's confidence in approving your request.
Even if your company doesn't
already have a telecommute program in place, you still have access to a
considerable amount of information and resources to help you respond to the
arguments you may encounter, create a strategy, prepare and submit a proposal,
and create a Telecommuter's Agreement if your company agrees. Following
are a few of these resources:
Tools
To Help You Convince Your Boss
Telework
Roadmap from the Telework Connection
An obstacle hindering many employers from offering their employees the
opportunity to telecommute is their lack of knowledge about how to start and
maintain a telecommuting or telework program. If you take the initiative
to help your boss develop and establish such a program, imagine how much easier
it will be to convince him/her to "yes"! Here's a step-by-step
guide you can use to start and maintain a telecommute or telework program in
your office or organization.
"How
To Prepare For Objections" by Pat Katepoo
TeleAnalystics
A program to help parents convince management to allow them to telecommute
Telework/Telecommuting
Pros & Cons
from European Telework Online
Tools
To Help You Develop Your Proposal
Telecommuting:
A Guide For Managers & Employees Considering Telecommuting from
Florida State Department of Management Services
Flex
Success Proposal Templates by WorkOptions.com
Four fill-in-the-blank complete proposal templates (telecommuting, part-time,
job sharing, compressed workweek)
TotalNews.com
Resource to search for articles to include in the appendix of your
proposal. Use the keywords "telecommuting,"
"telecommute," or "telecommuter."
If
Your Boss Says "Yes!"
Generic
Telecommuter's Agreement from Gil Gordon Associates
Sample
Teleworker Agreement from Telework Colorado
How
to Justify A Major Purchase
A 5-step plan for convincing your boss to supply you with the best equipment for
your home office.
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