How do I negotiate a flexible working schedule with my Boss?
Every year, thousands of Caribbean millennial graduates enter the workforce.
Many of these millennials however expect greater things from a career. For example, they seek alternatives to the 9-5 career pressure their parents experienced.
It is not uncommon to hear today’s job seekers seeking job flexibility arrangements. Flexibility offers them the ability to work, manage schedules and have sufficient time for other priorities.
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Benefits of a flexible work schedule
A flexible work schedule offers many benefits such as:
- Autonomy and control –You have greater control to decide how to spend your most valuable asset – time!
- Cultivates greater self-management skills–a flexible work schedule is actually a responsibility. You are responsible for managing your time, efficiency and productivity so that your company does not suffer.
- Avoid burnout – Ask employees about the most stressful parts of their day and they may likely mention the long hours of commute, costs of transportation and traffic. With a flexible working arrangement, you can avoid these stressors of life and ultimately, avoid burnout.
- Boost morale – Employees are generally more satisfied and productive when they eliminate job stressors and have some influence in allocating their time.
- Consider other opportunities – Perhaps the traditional 9-5 job isn’t cut out for you. Maybe you need to forge a different path. Maybe you would like to further your education, spend more time with your family or even establish a side business. Flexible working hours makes this much more possible.
- Flexibility provides a new definition for success. Whereas success may have been defined by salary, job title and seniority, success can now be defined by self-managed performance, timely submission of deliverables, accountability and reliability.
How to negotiate a flexible work schedule with your employer?
When negotiating flexible working hours, understand your company’s perspective in terms of:
Knowing the company’s position
Read your employee’s handbook to determine if flexible working arrangements are permitted within your organisation.
What approach will you adopt?
Depending on your company’s stance on flexible work arrangements, there are two negotiating approaches you can adopt.
Asking
The first approach is asking. If your company allows work flexibility, then negotiations with your boss may simply involve asking, with good reason for a more flexible schedule.
Bending
If your organisation has never considered flexible schedules, adopt a bending approach. By negotiating for flexible work hours, you are essentially bending the rules to get your way. This approach, unlike asking, would requires greater preparation. You must explain your case thoroughly, address concerns and even offer counter-arguments, if rejection seems likely.
Understand your boss’ perspective
Your boss’ underlying concern may very well be your performance. At the work environment, it is easier to manage staff performance when their work hours align with yours. Additionally, if they do grant your request, the impact this may have on your colleagues and the organisation’s operations may weigh on their minds.
How will your work be handled?
Additional areas you will have to address includes the logistics of the job. How will communication occur between yourself and the team? Can teamwork be maintained? Will you be able to perform your tasks according to the desired format, timeframe and standard? Furthermore, how will the relationship between employer and employee change?
Explain the benefits
Effective negotiation involves listing the benefits of flexible work arrangements. Describe thoroughly how flexibility will not compromise the operations of the team or the organisation. Negotiating strategically also involves not demanding, but explaining clearly how this arrangement would be a good thing for you and the organisation.
How will the flexible schedule benefit your employee?
Some of these benefits include:
Greater productivity
A flexible arrangement gives you autonomy to schedule daily tasks, which optimises productivity. No one knows your strengths and style of working better than you. Explain that work flexibility provides autonomy and convenience to manage your workload resourcefully, reduce stress and complete your KPIs.
More time, less distractions
A lot of productivity is wasted on irrelevant meetings, telephone calls, “urgent emails” and unexpected requests. With a flexible schedule, you can leverage your most productive hours by allocating them to focused, uninterrupted work. You can also use your downtime to perform mundane tasks such as responding to emails.
Avoid burnout
Emphasise that a flexible working arrangement can benefit the entire team by having one less stressed team member. Less stressed means you can function at optimum capacity and provide a more efficient service.
Write a plan to negotiate with your employer
Writing your plan strengthens your case. Having your case in tangible form further persuades your manager that flexibility can be beneficial and worthwhile.
Writing a proposal plan for flexibility requires job crafting. Job crafting illustrates how job responsibilities can be adapted within a flexible working structure. In other words, your entire plan must focus on how flexible working hours enables you to get your goals, targets and KPIs accomplished and others benefits to your employer. Emphasise more on the benefits to the organsiation, as opposed to how you alone will be benefitting.
Breakdown your typical, flexible workday. Detail how priorities and work commitments will be completed, as well as the assurance of being accessible throughout your specified workday.
Finally, within your plan you should indicate how work will be performed, shared or submitted with the wider team and how you intend to preserve this team dynamic and collaboration.
Negotiation tips with your supervisor
Further things to remember when negotiating for a flexible working arrangement include:
- Present your case, highlighting clearly the benefits associated with this new arrangement
- Simply “wanting it” is not a good reason. If you have growing responsibilities at home – children, elderly or feel a sense of overwhelm and burnout, state your case strongly and indicate why more flexibility in your schedule makes sense.
- Don’t forget ‘WIIFM’ when negotiating – What’s in it for me? Don’t make this negotiation a one-sided proposal. Your employer should be getting some benefits from arranging a flexible schedule. Mention and explain these benefits thoroughly.
- Be ready with an answer – This negotiation is not the place for phrases such as “I don’t know”, “I will not be able to tell you at this time”, or “I haven’t thought that far ahead”. Reassure your boss that you have thought this option through and you’re able to effectively address their concerns about working flexible hours.
