Flexible Work: Don't Get
Personal! Make the Business Case
Life happens (thankfully), and flexible work makes it
happen better.
- A new baby.
- A marriage that needs more time and attention.
- Friends and relatives.
- School.
- Kids who need quantity time.
- Community and volunteer work.
- Elder care.
These are some of the reasons and motives that drive people
to pitch a flexible work arrangement to their manager.
What do they have in common?
They're all related to personal life. And...
Your manager probably doesn't want to hear about it!
It sounds harsh, but it's generally true. When making your
proposal, you must appeal to the interests of your manager
and the bottom-line concerns of your employer, even though
your interests are closer to heart and home.
A development officer for a non-profit organization in San
Francisco told me that she was about to make her pitch for a
part-time schedule by sweeping into her manager's office
with an emotional plea of, “I miss my baby!”
Fortunately, she said, she first came across the
Two Big
Mistakes to Avoid about the dangers of “winging it”,
and then developed a more sensible approach.
Likewise, plan to present the business case that would allow
you to reduce your hours, telecommute, job share or
otherwise restructure your job. Leave the WHY behind your
request out of your proposal.
(In turn, your manager should make the decision to accept or
reject your proposal based on the business merits, not based
on the reasons why you want it.)
This advice parallels that of the request for a raise;
personal need is not the issue. “My two kids need braces.”
“I'm a single mom receiving no child support.”
“We're
remodeling our kitchen.”
It just doesn't fly.
Your justification for a raise must be based on the merits
of your performance and contributions to your employer.
Leave orthodontist bills and the cost of hardwood cabinets
out of the discussion!
It's the same when asking for a flexible work arrangement.
What's in it for your manager? Your employer? How will they
benefit?
That is the emphasis your proposal must take. The
WorkOptions
Proposal Package provides a solid framework to supply
your answers.
Although your motives for a flexible work arrangement are
personal—even emotional—resolve to present your case in
an objective, business-like manner to boost the
likelihood of getting your request approved.
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