Amanda Rose: why your boss won’t let you work from home

Career adviser Amanda Rose explains why your boss isn’t letting you work from home and the simple steps you can take to change their mind.

If you want to convince your boss to let you work from home, first you need to understand what that means. It doesn’t mean doing what I want, when I want. And it’s not a substitute for childcare or napping for half the day. It is still a job and you need to do the work, communicate with colleagues or customers and deliver.

BE REALISTIC

Be honest about whether the job you are in can be a work-from-home role.

Zoom can only go so far and if you need to be in meetings there are benefits to being there in person — and there are solutions to that. Some people are on a Teams meeting together all day and just unmute and ask a question as if they are in the office. Give suggestions to your boss.

DOESN’T MY BOSS TRUST ME?

If your boss says no it usually means they’ve been scarred.

The most common reason why someone won’t support it is because people in the company have taken liberties in the past or boss or manager is old school and don’t know how to set up KPIs and structures for you to work effectively.

CONVINCE THEM

Show them what you are achieving and that you can still do your job and achieve your targets and KPIs and, in fact, surpass them.

It’s all in the sell. Call it remote working instead of home work if that turns them off the idea and they wonder what you are doing.

Offer to work a hybrid model where you work some in the office and some at home, and ask them to let you show them that you can do both.

Send — off your own back — an update at the end of each day to show them what you’ve achieved, who you’ve connected with. Show them the fullness of your day.

IF THE BOSS STILL SAYS NO …

You need to consider your options and find what works for you.

But don’t quit a job just because they are not giving you what you want. First have a discussion, negotiate and, if necessary, at the same time go out and find somewhere you think may be a better fit. Now is the time to do it, there are so many jobs out there.

* Amanda Rose is the founder of Small Business Women Australia, and is a key mentor and career adviser.

Do you have a work query for Amanda? Email [e-mail]

Originally published as Amanda Rose: why your boss won’t let you work from home