Although it is no longer 2020, a lot of us have become well acquainted with working from home. As things go back to “normal,” a lot of us have discovered that we prefer to work from home full-time. However, not all employers feel this same way as they reopen office doors.
The Issue
So let’s say that you’ve been working from home for almost a year now, and you’ve gotten the memo from HR that everyone is returning to the office. And at this moment, you realize that you prefer to work from home full-time. You’re able to spend more time with your kids and you are able to eliminate that tedious commute you had. All of these reasons are completely valid for you to bring up to your supervisor. But keep in mind, that just because you bring it up does not automatically mean that you’ll be granted the ability to work full-time from home.
So how can you get the best of both worlds? As recruiters, we always vouch for our candidates. One of the most important things that we ask of our candidates is to have proof of their work, results, and time management. All of these are essential and support the argument of keeping them working from home, or at least a hybrid schedule.
Now, put yourself into your supervisor’s shoes. Why should they let you work from home full-time? Will you be easy to get in touch with? Will you be reliable and require little to no supervision? Will you be able to deliver results? All of these points are essential when having a discussion with your supervisor. Even if you are in line for a promotion or a raise, it is critical to track your performance. If you don’t have this, how can you justify what you bring to the table?
Be Open-Minded
Also, be open-minded with the idea of a hybrid schedule. Perhaps your employer can only allow an in-office schedule, but they can make an exception for you to work from home once or twice a week. Would this be something of interest to you? Or perhaps, you can negotiate some other benefits when working from home. Remember, everything in life is negotiable. Just because you cannot get that flexible remote schedule you’ve been wanting, doesn’t mean you can leave empty-handed. What is the next best thing? Is it a bonus, additional PTO, etc.?
Now if working from home full-time is something you really want and are unable to get at your current place of employment, you may have to reconsider working somewhere else. Although there has been an increase in remote work, keep in mind that a lot of businesses prefer to have their staff in the office. But don’t let this make you feel discouraged. For example, there has been an increase in demand for virtual paralegals. Back then, virtual paralegals did not even exist. So just because something isn’t in demand now doesn’t mean it won’t be in demand in the near future.
And as you look for a remote job, you will also need to have evidence that you’re able to work from home. So be able to track how many attorneys/clients you supported from home, and how you were able to manage your time. You need to have some sort of evidence to show to a hiring manager or a recruiter to justify why you can effectively work from home. Unfortunately, there is still a stigma when it comes to performance and working from home. That’s because there are a lot of people that slack when it comes to working remotely. There are many distractions (which we are all familiar with) such as pets, kids studying at home, and access to electronics. Working in an office does allow the employer to have more access to you and monitor your work performance. So some of the most important skills to have as a remote employee are a great communication, flexibility, and time management.
Our Virtual Reality
According to LinkedIn, 42% of their members responding are now working remotely. And 46% of employers say that working virtually is highly likely to be permanent. So keep that in mind when moving forward, there definitely will be an increase in remote positions in the future. Not only does it save companies money with overhead costs, but it also allows employees to have more freedom. Just keep in mind that some companies, such as law firms, do like to have physical offices. This doesn’t mean that all roles in a law firm have to be in office, but the likelihood of them all becoming fully virtual isn’t something that will happen in the near future.
So as you decide what work environment works best for you, be sure to really assess your work performance in the office versus at home. You will need this when you have a conversation with your supervisor. And if you have to temporarily adjust to a hybrid or an office schedule, remember that you can still be open to other opportunities that might better suit your needs. It doesn’t hurt to contact a recruiter and inquire about any positions that offer a fully remote or flexible work schedule. You never know what opportunity you might find!