How To Negotiate A Hybrid Working Arrangement With Your Employer
Publié le 28 March 2022
As more organizations in all industries try to adapt to new forms of work, you may be wondering how to negotiate a hybrid working arrangement with your employer.
In the wake of the pandemic, hybrid working arrangements feel like they are here to stay for many professionals. In the past, workers may have struggled to convince their employers that they will be just as productive from home, especially in organizations that have a strong culture of presenteeism. Whilst some organizations can’t offer hybrid working opportunities, or simply don’t want to, an enforced period of working from home has shaken up some of the old beliefs that staff always need to physically be in the office.
The hybrid model means that staff can agree with their employer to work a split between the office and remote working. This is not just for the odd occasion, but rather a permanent change to their working pattern, and may also be called the blended model. The hybrid approach has many benefits, especially for employees who have family and caregiving responsibilities. Additionally, it’s beneficial for those who want to cut their commute, or simply find that they get more done in the quiet at home rather than amongst the chatter of the office.
Unless your employer offers this as a standard way of working, it can feel intimidating to ask to work in this way without feeling like you might be penalized for it. Here, we look at how to negotiate a hybrid working pattern with your employer in the post-Covid workplace, and learn about your company’s policy regarding hybrid working arrangements.
What do you need to work from home?
Firstly, you’ll need to establish whether your job can realistically be done from home. Home workers tend to be jobs that can be done on a computer, unless you have a special setup at your house. It’s probably unrealistic to think that you could be a teacher from home permanently, for example, even if you’ve been teaching virtually in the pandemic.
Remember that your employer will be thinking about what is best for the business and your team, not just what is most convenient for you. Before you decide, consider how it will work from more than a personal point of view and consider the possible effects on the workplace as a whole.
For example, if you have a second computer screen in the office, but would only have a laptop at home, will this hinder your productivity or restrict what tasks you can complete on your at-home days? Do you use a phone, and so they’d have to provide you with a work landline? Providing you with extra equipment will come with an added cost, so make sure you’ve thought through what you would need and any solutions. Doing this will show your employer that you have thought this plan through carefully, considered it from their perspective as well and have devised ways to make it work within their budget.
Know your options and preferences
The first step to knowing how to negotiate a hybrid working arrangement with your employer is to schedule a call or meeting with your manager. Make it clear that you want to talk about how hybrid working could be beneficial for you, and leave enough time so that you can adequately prepare.
Some companies will have put together a hybrid policy to support this style of working post-Covid, as existing policy will need to change in order to better meet the changed needs and expectations of employees. If your company has such a policy, then request a copy from HR if you don’t have one already, so that you can be clear what you can ask for. It can also help you find solutions to any potential issues, such as how client information will be kept secure, before meeting with management.
Then, sit down and work out how you envisage a blended model working for you. Are there days where you have an all-team meeting? This could be a good day for you to be in the office, to benefit from the social interaction and collaboration. Do you have an existing commitment straight after work hours on a Wednesday? This could be a good day for you to work from home, so that you don’t have to rush out the door of the office. Try and preempt what your employer might need from you, and devise a plan that will clearly benefit both parties.
How to approach the conversation
When planning how to negotiate a hybrid working arrangement with your employer, be prepared to be flexible when considering how to negotiate a hybrid working pattern with your employer – whilst it would be great to get exactly what you’re asking for, you’re likely to have to meet your manager in the middle and compromise. Start by stating that you’d like to discuss working in a hybrid model, and then go on to explain how you’d like this to look, and why.
Calmly and clearly explain any solutions that you’ve come up with regarding potential problems. Once you’re done, ask your manager for their thoughts. It may be that they say that they need to think about it, in which case you can follow up with an email briefly covering what you’ve discussed, and then ask them to let you know a date for a follow-up meeting. You can even write a draft of this follow-up email beforehand, including your solutions to potential issues, and modify it after the meeting has concluded in order to address their specific concerns.
It may be that they say no to your request for a hybrid working arrangement. In this case, make sure that you understand what your HR policy covers, and politely ask them to explain why. If they’re just apprehensive, you could offer to try it on a trial basis, or start with just one day at home, to be reviewed at a later date. Whatever the conclusion, remain polite and professional.
Ultimately, if they’re hard-set against it, and it’s really important to you, then it may be time to look for a new role, as many professionals have chosen to do. With 80% of company leaders reporting that they will allow employees to work remotely at least part-time, you should have plenty of choice. But if others in similar roles are working in a blended model, then hopefully your manager can see that it could potentially work. Knowing how to negotiate a hybrid working arrangement with your employer will help you get the type arrangement that be beneficial for both you and your employers.
