Work question-input please.

Right now I have a regular full time job where I’m in the office all day, nine to five. My job is done mostly by computer and it’s something I could easily do from home. I wouldn’t expect to be able to do that 5 days a week; I’d be more than happy with a few. I’m starting to gather my nerve to ask for an alternative arrangement. I have two concerns, the first being the most important:

1. I don’t feel like I will have a good enough reason in management’s eyes. I’m not a mother, I don’t care for a sick family member, etc, etc. My main reason is my commute is an hour and a half by car and it’s draining me but I don’t want to leave my company.

2. Flex hours are at management’s discretion and although a few people have flexible/ work from home arrangements, it’s still not widespread. I’m nervous about asking and was wondering the best approach.

Does anyone here work flex hours or from home as a result of asking for such an arrangement specifically? Do you feel it has damaged your career? Any advice on approaching management and HR about such an arrangement? I don’t want to sound like I’m whining when I do so so any hints would be appreciated. Thank you!!

You have a point.... There's someone here who works from home because she's going to school. I thought I had a chance because her 'excuse' isn't so great when you consider she's going back for something unrelated to working here so I thought I had a shot.

Any other thoughts?

Am I about to finally be purple?

Like dunne said it is really hard to answer without knowing your environment but I would think you need to have a stronger selling point.

In my office, they do not really allow this for many people. You have to really be in upper, upper management and even then it is hard. A little is because we don't have the technology totally in place to simulate a total home office. My boss is one of the few that does do this twice a week (she is a mom) and on the days she is in the office - she wind up putting in more hours and she has had some negative response to her working from home. But she values the opportunity to be allowed to work from home.

I also have two close friends who have had it negatively impact their careers. They won't give it up though because it does allow them to get home earlier and spend more time with her kids (mind you both have either nannies or have their kids in day care when they work from home). They said as much as their companies claim to be good for woman and mommy friendly...they do not always get the raises they deserve (and it has been said because they aren't in the office 5 days) and they work harder and longer hours on the days they are in the office. They are both super hard workers in prestigious careers and I know for a fact they do not slack when they work from home either!!

I guess it really depends on the company and attitude/environment. All that being said, I hope to find a mommy friendly company one day even if it does hurt my career slightly.

I guess talk to people who did it in your organization and see how it has affected their career and see if it worth it to yours to shorten your commute.

How long have you been at this company? What are your performance reviews like?

As a manager, I would not allow a flex work arrangement unless the employee:

- has been with the firm several years
- their deliverables can be accomplished at home as easily as in the office
- has proven themselves an invaluable resource (can not be replaced easily)
- has outstanding performance evaluations throughtout their tenure with the company
- has a seperate space in their home for work that is not used by anyone else during work hours
- employee is extremely flexible in changing their work at home time to accomdate meetings and other important things that must be done in office

Keep in mind that I have worked at relatively conservative places but this is what your manager will probably be taking into account.

He cant deny you purely because you dont have a good reason but if you dont have some reason for wanting the flex arrangment, i think the cards are stacked against you. Everyone dislikes commuting ... so if he allows you the flex hours for that reason, whats the stop the whole company from requesting that?

I believe I meet Stef’s requirements; my reviews have been stellar. I think I’m just going to look for something closer. It was my choice to move so far from my job and I can already think of a few people who would make my life miserable if I did manage to get a special arrangement. It’s just too bad because I think they would let me do it, but the politics and the BS are just not worth it.

Thanks anyway!