How to inquire about Flexible Work Options

How to negotiate a flexible work schedule during a job interview. Career experts share their best tips for how to successfully negotiate working from home more often or working remotely permanently during a job interview.

  • Do your research
  • Wait to negotiate until you get a job offer
  • Use data to prove how you’ll be successful in a different setup
  • Confirm the arrangement in writing

When Jacquelynn Wolff received an offer for her dream job in March, her joy was quickly replaced by fear as her employer, a top consumer brand, asked her to relocate from Boston to New York — hundreds of miles away from her family and friends. “My entire support system is in Massachusetts. I did not want to leave,” she told CNBC Make It. “I also didn’t want to uproot my two kids or my husband. ” Wolff asked her employer if she could tackle her new role leading the brand’s real estate strategy remotely from Boston, and to her surprise, they agreed. “It lowered my stress levels instantly,” she said. “I’m able to work better for my team, too, because I don’t have to worry about adjusting to a new city or a long commute. ” Wolff is hardly alone in her desire for greater job flexibility. According to a recent survey by Morning Consult, 1-in-3 American workers would not want to work for an employer that requires them to work on site full-time. Moreover, 87% of respondents said they want the flexibility to continue some form of remote work.


Video advice: Employer’s Guide to Flexible Working


Video advice: Understanding your rights to flexible work arrangements


[FAQ]

How do I ask for a flexible work arrangement?

How to Ask for (and Get) a Flexible Work Arrangement

  1. Craft Your Proposal and Expectations. The first step to getting a more flexible work schedule is asking for it. ...
  2. Explain How It Will Benefit You and the Company. ...
  3. Be Sure You're Prepared. ...
  4. Suggest a Trial Period. ...
  5. Be Flexible in Your Request.

Can I ask my employer for flexible working?

Employees who do not have the legal right to request flexible working are of course free to ask their employer if they can work flexibly, many employers are willing to consider such requests.

How do I talk to my boss about a flexible work schedule?

Here are 7 steps to confidently asking your boss for more flexibility:

  1. Start by preparing at home. Look at what your personal and family goals are. ...
  2. Evaluate your work. ...
  3. Know your options. ...
  4. Make it real. ...
  5. Be brave and just schedule it. ...
  6. Rehearse! ...
  7. It needs to be a win-win-win. ...
  8. Be amazing.

How do I say my schedule is flexible?

"My schedule is loose" would be a way to say that your schedule is flexible (though personally, I would stick to the latter word in this context). In other words, you have things planned — perhaps lots of things — but you can move them around if needed. It's perfectly possible to be busy and flexible at the same time.


Video advice: Flexible Work Arrangements


References:

What will you present as “flexible work schedule” options that meet their needs as well as yours?

“Exploring Management” by John R. Schermerhorn
from Exploring Management
by John R. Schermerhorn
Wiley, 2011

What is meant by flexible working?

“Introducing Human Resource Management” by Caroline Hook, Andrew Jenkins
from Introducing Human Resource Management
by Caroline Hook, Andrew Jenkins
Pearson Education Limited, 2019

Reasons for flexible working may include:

“Managing Work-life Balance: A Guide for HR in Achieving Organisational and Individual Change” by David Clutterbuck
from Managing Work-life Balance: A Guide for HR in Achieving Organisational and Individual Change
by David Clutterbuck
Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, 2003

Flexible working might already be available within your company, so do find out what’s on offer before making a more formal request.

“Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace: A Practical Guide for Employers and Employees” by Gill Hasson, Donna Butler
from Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace: A Practical Guide for Employers and Employees
by Gill Hasson, Donna Butler
Wiley, 2020

Ask about flexible work hours or telecommuting opportunities.

“The Simple Dollar: How One Man Wiped Out His Debts and Achieved the Life of His Dreams” by Trent A. Hamm
from The Simple Dollar: How One Man Wiped Out His Debts and Achieved the Life of His Dreams
by Trent A. Hamm
Pearson Education, 2010
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