With gas prices so high and the demands of motherhood that never end, and the rest of everything, does anyone have advice on bringing up the option of working from home?
I work for a great organization, there is about 50 employees and I have remote access right now. I come home and i work anywyas, not because I am asked to but because I hve things to get done.
With this said, I think that we should have the option to work from home, and I dont know how to bring it up at work.
I have a great manager, she is a great person that understands I am a mom and sometimes my child can get sick but at the same time, most people in my office dont have kids, and those that do, are married and have someone else to help them
Any insight? Any managers that can provide tips?
discussion leader, mom of an 11 year old girl. At this time, she is trying to make it work between raising her and having a full time job!
Companies with over 50
Companies with over 50 employees have to participate in Valley Metro's Trip Reduction program, so your employer should be very open to this issue, anyway. If they are trying to meet their trip reduction goals, then you are helping them to do that. If they are just under 50 employees, then they don't have to participate. You said they were about 50, so I don't know if they make it or not. I would ask your manager if she is open to the idea. If she seems hesitant, ask if you can have a trial period - select one day a week that you could work from home. Don't pick a Monday or Friday, because people automatically think that you want to take a long weekend. Sometimes the managers just need to see that you are really working from home when you say that you are; when your manager sees you being productive during the trial period, she may be open to letting it become a permanent option. Also, reinforce that you are willing to be flexible; for example, you are willing to come in on your telecommuting day if you need to meet with a customer or there is a special meeting. Good luck!
I think you did a good job
I think you did a good job explaining your reasons for wanting to work from home --- why not write up a 'proposal' to give your manager that includes that info. You could list the positives both for you and the company (i.e., they would be helping reduce commuter traffic, boosting employee morale, helping the enviroment, etc.) And you could offer a sample schedule of the days / times you'd be home and what specifically your responsibilities would be during those times. End with the offer to give this a 'trial run' (that was a great idea!)
Take it to your manager and ask her to look over it, then schedule a time to discuss it after she's had a chance to think it through. Be ready to answer any questions, and to make modifications if needed. She'll see that you're going about this in a professional and organized manner and that the same attitude will apply to your work from home days.
Good luck and I hope it works out!
New to AZ --- still working out the kinks!
I think there is a
I think there is a distinction between working at home with a sick child and telecommuting regularly. I let my employees work at home if they have a sick child but that is an exception because you cannot do two jobs at one time. This usually results in the employee working 6 hours and 2 hours of sick or unpaid leave. The other ladies have given you good advice on writing a proposal. What I would want to see is what is the benefit to the company. There is a lot of telecommuting research that shows employees are more productive because there are fewer interruptions as compared to the workplace. If a proposal tells me that someone can produce 10 hours of work in 8 hours of telecommuting - I'll listen. Good luck.
Mom of teenage boys!
I agree with the other
I agree with the other comments - write up your proposal and tell you boss how the arrangement will benefit the company.
My sister telecommutes and one big concern from her employer was that her children would be at home when she was trying to work. Once she told them the children would be in childcare the entire time she was working, they were fine with it. You might want to address that concern while you are writing up your proposal.
Good luck.
I think writing a proposal
I think writing a proposal is a good idea as well. However, I would research if they have a telecommunting policy that you can reference as well. Good luck!
There is no way to be a perfect mother, but a million ways to be a good one!
thank you all for the
thank you all for the feedback. we have an employee motivational day coming up this month. I know all of the employees are struggling with gas prices and we are hoping there will be some mention of telecommuting. If this is not the case, a proposal will be coming from me. No one does this except the managers and seldomly, I hope it is well received. My daugther would be in school if I was allowed to work from home one day a week. Thank you for suggeting not to pick a monday or friday. I think wednesday would be great.
discussion leader, mom of an 11 year old girl. At this time, she is trying to make it work between raising her and having a full time job!
Trapped at Home
Trapped at Home Working....
There is an interesting problem with working at home. I have been telecommuting for the past 5 years. I am employed as a Sales Rep for a parenting magazine (and now a new AuraStella consultant) and I find that when I wake up, I gravitate to my computer. Some days I am in my pj's all day. I check and respond to email anytime/all of the time. Many people ask me how I stay focused on work, and not start doing laundry/whatever. I have a very difficult time pulling myself away from work and moving onto being a mom when the clock strikes 5:00pm.
Cheers!
Paula-Mom of 4, Eric's Wife
AuraStella Jewelry Consultant
Fresh. Fun. Fabulous ~ Sterling Silver
www.BriteStarMom.AuraStella.com
email: BriteStarMom@aol.com