1 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: Good Morning. This is Laura, Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:17,240 Speaker 1: This week we're going to be talking about remote work. 4 00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:21,080 Speaker 1: Lots of people work remotely these days, at least occasionally, 5 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:24,440 Speaker 1: and for many people, working somewhere other than their office 6 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 1: from time to time, whether that's from home or coffee 7 00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 1: shop or coworking space can boost productivity. Today's tip is 8 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 1: about how to negotiate such a flexible working arrangement for yourself. 9 00:00:38,479 --> 00:00:41,199 Speaker 1: I study the annual American Time You Survey when it's 10 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:44,479 Speaker 1: released each June, and each year, the survey reports that 11 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:46,840 Speaker 1: some high number of people do some of their work 12 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:50,720 Speaker 1: at a place other than their main workplace. Some headlines 13 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:53,000 Speaker 1: coming out of these surveys have touted huge numbers of 14 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 1: people working from home, but this is often confusing issues. 15 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:00,480 Speaker 1: Many salaried employees who have laptops are smart owns send 16 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:03,880 Speaker 1: emails outside of work hours. If you email a team 17 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:05,920 Speaker 1: members something in the morning before you head to work, 18 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:09,880 Speaker 1: you are technically working from home, but it's not the 19 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 1: way we often think of the definition, which is doing 20 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:15,480 Speaker 1: your job from a home office during regular work hours. 21 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:18,319 Speaker 1: As a long time work from home person. I have 22 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 1: to say there are a lot of upsides to working 23 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 1: this way, namely at home. My home office is set 24 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:26,880 Speaker 1: up exactly as I like it. The temperature doesn't make 25 00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:30,600 Speaker 1: me freeze, I don't have to wear uncomfortable clothes, I'm 26 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:33,319 Speaker 1: not worried about people looking over my shoulder, and I 27 00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 1: keep my papers in desk exactly as I want them, 28 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:39,399 Speaker 1: without worrying about how it looks. No one stops by 29 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:41,520 Speaker 1: to ask me about some rant that's gone viral on 30 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:45,800 Speaker 1: Facebook when I am supposed to be working. Plus no commute, 31 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 1: this saves an incredible amount of time. Since I use 32 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:51,280 Speaker 1: some of this time to work, I probably get more 33 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 1: done than I wouldn't in office. Plenty of other people 34 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 1: have discovered the same thing, but I know a lot 35 00:01:57,120 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: of traditional types believe that the sort of work they 36 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 1: do just can't be done remotely. Sometimes, even people who 37 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 1: think of themselves as bucking the status quo frown on 38 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:08,519 Speaker 1: remote work because of some research that appears to find 39 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:11,120 Speaker 1: that people are more innovative working together face to face. 40 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 1: That was at least the reasoning Yahoo gave for canceling 41 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:17,400 Speaker 1: work from home arrangements a few years ago. But I 42 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 1: think a lot of this controversy about working from home 43 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 1: miss is the point, but because it comes from either 44 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:26,239 Speaker 1: or thinking. Remote work doesn't have to be all or nothing. 45 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:28,919 Speaker 1: It's great to work with your colleagues face to face. 46 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:31,680 Speaker 1: People come up with all sorts of great ideas when 47 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:34,519 Speaker 1: they interact in person. I also think that in many 48 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:38,200 Speaker 1: knowledge based jobs, five days a week is probably overkill. 49 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:43,200 Speaker 1: People need time for quiet, focused work too. Plus, if 50 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:45,520 Speaker 1: you report to an office just to email and call 51 00:02:45,639 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 1: people in other places, this is incredibly inefficient from a 52 00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 1: time perspective and an environmental perspective. For most people with 53 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:56,919 Speaker 1: knowledge type jobs, the best choice is probably somewhere in 54 00:02:56,960 --> 00:02:59,679 Speaker 1: the middle, maybe working from home or a coffee shop 55 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:02,320 Speaker 1: twice week and from the office three days a week. 56 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:05,400 Speaker 1: That way, you can do focused work at home and 57 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:09,080 Speaker 1: collaborative work at the office. This is the best of 58 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:14,079 Speaker 1: both worlds. The question is how to get there. How 59 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:16,240 Speaker 1: can you negotiate the ability to work from home when 60 00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:18,440 Speaker 1: you need to or at least one to two days 61 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:21,760 Speaker 1: a week. As with most things, the easiest time to 62 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:24,520 Speaker 1: negotiate is when you've been offered a job but haven't 63 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 1: accepted yet. In that situation, you might be best off 64 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 1: acting like you assume flexibility is part of the package, 65 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:33,240 Speaker 1: but you just want to confirm it. In my last job, 66 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 1: you might say, I found I worked best when I 67 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 1: work from home twice a week. One of the reasons 68 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 1: I admire this company is its flexibility, So I just 69 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 1: want to confirm that you're good with me continuing to 70 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 1: work how I work best. Then see what happens. It 71 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 1: might be good to get it in writing, too, as 72 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:52,840 Speaker 1: managers can change. If it's written into your job description 73 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 1: that this job can be done remotely half the time, 74 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 1: you're in a much stronger position to push back on 75 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:02,600 Speaker 1: unpleasant surprises. If you're already in a job, this is trickier, 76 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:05,360 Speaker 1: but it can still be done. Look around and see 77 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:08,920 Speaker 1: if anyone else around you is working from home. If so, 78 00:04:09,120 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 1: you've probably got good odds. Just ask your manager to 79 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:15,680 Speaker 1: clarify what her preferences are about this. You might learn 80 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:18,040 Speaker 1: that your manager really wants to restrict working from home 81 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:19,720 Speaker 1: to people who have been with the company for a 82 00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 1: year or two so she trusts them, or who've got 83 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:27,279 Speaker 1: top performance review ratings. If so, then you do what 84 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,440 Speaker 1: you need to to get yourself into the category of 85 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 1: people who can work from home when they need to. 86 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:36,280 Speaker 1: If she's reluctant, or if you're a pioneer in your 87 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:39,480 Speaker 1: office in this regard, make sure your arguments stay focused 88 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:43,119 Speaker 1: on things that matter to your manager. While your boss 89 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:46,000 Speaker 1: probably likes you as a person, your unhappiness with your 90 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 1: long commute, or your discomfort and business clothes, or your 91 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:52,599 Speaker 1: desire to make a five pm Thursday yoga class is 92 00:04:52,640 --> 00:04:57,000 Speaker 1: not really her big concern. Your boss fundamentally needs you 93 00:04:57,040 --> 00:05:01,440 Speaker 1: to make her numbers, So how will your flexibility help 94 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:04,640 Speaker 1: with this? One option, if you know budgets are tight, 95 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 1: is to ask to work from home regularly in lieu 96 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:11,040 Speaker 1: of an expected race. The rays cost your boss money, 97 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 1: while working from home does not, so that might seem 98 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 1: like a win win. Or you might take on a 99 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:20,040 Speaker 1: task that she's been having trouble assigning. If you work 100 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 1: from home twice a week and you have a long commute, 101 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:24,159 Speaker 1: you might be able to start work earlier on those 102 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:26,920 Speaker 1: two days since you're not commuting, and you could use 103 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:28,480 Speaker 1: that time to take on the task that she was 104 00:05:28,520 --> 00:05:32,280 Speaker 1: thinking she'd have to assign to a contractor Again, win 105 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:36,280 Speaker 1: win for everyone. If she's still on the fence, ask 106 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:39,279 Speaker 1: for a trial period, say two months. You agree that 107 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 1: you'll work remotely one day a week for the next 108 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:43,720 Speaker 1: eight weeks, and then check in to see how it's going. 109 00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:46,560 Speaker 1: It goes without saying that you should then make sure 110 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:49,479 Speaker 1: the next few weeks are among the most productive of 111 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:52,760 Speaker 1: your life. Try turning in some really big stuff on 112 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 1: the days you're working from home. You want to nip 113 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 1: any concerns right in the bud. And if you are 114 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:01,120 Speaker 1: a manager and you're listening to this, I really hope 115 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:03,480 Speaker 1: you will consider rethinking what absolutely has to be done 116 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:07,240 Speaker 1: in the office and what does not. Yes, it can 117 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:10,120 Speaker 1: be slightly more challenging to manage remote workers than others, 118 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:13,680 Speaker 1: but if you're a good manager, this won't be a problem. 119 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:18,000 Speaker 1: Focus on results. When something goes awry when someone is 120 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 1: working from home, it's generally not the working from home 121 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:25,479 Speaker 1: part that's the problem. It's the employee who's the problem, 122 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:28,600 Speaker 1: and that is a different matter that you, as a manager, 123 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 1: need to deal with. If you need a numerical argument 124 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 1: that flexible work can be good for your team, try this. 125 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:37,039 Speaker 1: One study found that people who had to work in 126 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:40,360 Speaker 1: an office at specific times could only work thirty eight 127 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:44,479 Speaker 1: hours per week before a significant chunk experienced work life conflict. 128 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:48,440 Speaker 1: When people could work from home on occasion and work flexibly, 129 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:53,840 Speaker 1: this number rose to fifty seven hours a week. That 130 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:58,960 Speaker 1: is a full More flexibility means you can get more 131 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:02,600 Speaker 1: work out of people, and yet you still look like 132 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:06,520 Speaker 1: a hero. You really don't have much to lose, so 133 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:10,200 Speaker 1: why not give it a shot. In the meantime. This 134 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:13,440 Speaker 1: is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making the 135 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 1: most of our time. Hey everybody, I'd love to hear 136 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 1: from you. You can send me your tips, your questions, 137 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:29,040 Speaker 1: or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook 138 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:33,920 Speaker 1: and Instagram at Before Breakfast pod that's b E the 139 00:07:34,040 --> 00:07:38,280 Speaker 1: number four, then Breakfast p o D. You can also 140 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:41,680 Speaker 1: shoot me an email at Before Breakfast podcast at i 141 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:44,800 Speaker 1: heeart media dot com that Before Breakfast is spelled out 142 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:47,559 Speaker 1: with all the letters. Thanks so much, I look forward 143 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:55,760 Speaker 1: to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production of 144 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:59,119 Speaker 1: I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from my Heart Radio, 145 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:03,120 Speaker 1: visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 146 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows. H