Panic at the pump? Ask to telecommute already…
Many of you have asked me how you go about getting your boss to let you work from home.
It’s hard to just walk into your boss’ office and ask for what you want out of the blue. But you all now have a great conversation ice breaker — GAS PRICES.
Hello, this is the best excuse ever to ask for a day or two of telecommuting. Gas prices are skyrocketing and I bet your manager is also feeling the pinch. So get all your arguments together and ask to speak with her boss about the issue.
Make a case for why you can do your job at home and even do it better than if you were in a busy, noisy, distracting office. And make sure to sprinkle the conversation with information about how much more you’re paying a month because of higher gas prices.
There is no guarantee he or she will agree, but why not ask? Come on. This is the perfect time.
I address the issue today in my MSNBC.com column and I also offer tips on how to ask for the coveted work-at-home days.
Here’s to driving less and working more! Oh yeah. Forgot to tell you that. If you work from home, expect to work more than you ever have. I’m on the clock 24/7, so make sure you set boundaries.
If you decide to ask your boss I hope you’ll share your story here…whether you get a yes or no.
May 13th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
I did ask about telecommuting here with my current employer. No dice. There’s still an assumption that you must be “here” to get work done, even though almost all of my work (everything but periodic meetings–most of which are on one specific day of the week) is done through software that can be used anywhere. Heck, we have an on-call rotation where we each need to perform the work duties after hours from our homes or other off-site locations, so it’s not as if there are questions about it being technically possible.
Oh, well. It’s their loss.
I start a new gig next month. I’m trading over 600 hours of annual commute time (averaging 2.5 hours a day over the course of 48 work weeks) for an employer less than a minute from my home.
Telecommuting even two days each week would have kept me right where I am.
The sad thing (for my current employer) is that I have other coworkers who are considering similar changes without the option of telecommuting. With gas sure to hit $4 per gallon (and possibly pushing toward $7 per gallon by next year), I think workplaces in many U.S. urban centers are in for a big shake up.
May 13th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
good for you for asking, and now voting with your feet.
good luck in your new job!!