After asking yourself all of those questions, and answering them honestly and determining that you still want to work from home, you have to approach your boss.

With a formal proposal that outlines your plan and how it will benefit your employer. This proposal can take different forms, but the first thing you’ll want to check is:

1. Does my company have a telework policy in place?
   • If they do, you’ll want to read it carefully to make certain that you meet the requirements and make the request in the correct format. Forewarned is forearmed!
   • If you don’t meet the requirements, does that mean your cause is lost? Of course not! You can blaze new trails – it just may take longer. And you’ll need to have convincing arguments (and/or a manager willing to help you make your case).
2. If there’s no current telework policy, including this type of information in your proposal can go a long way towards making it a successful presentation.
   • How many hours out of the day am I on the phone versus meeting with people face to face? And how do the hours I intend to work match with the hours of the people I need to speak with?
     • If you’re on the phone six hours every day in conferences with people all over the country, it shouldn’t matter if you’re in the corporate office or your bedroom.
     • I once had an employee who wanted to work from 6 am until 2 pm. When I pointed out that the people she worked with most often were in the Central timezone, and therefore, she was proposing 5 am until 1 pm, she saw that it wasn’t a good fit.
   • Is the work that I do highly independent from others? Do I spend hours researching/writing/analyzing versus interacting?
   • How long have I been at this job and what have my performance evaluations been like? An employee who has proven themselves over a number of months or years is a better “risk” in the eyes of the employer than someone just starting out. It’s rare that you’ll be able to telework just starting out UNLESS you’re actually applying for a “work from home” position.
   • Do I have someplace that I can work free from distractions? Don’t forget to mention that you have an extra bedroom that you’re turning into an office. Or that your basement is wired for phone and internet. Make sure the assumption isn’t that you’ll be sitting on your couch in front of the television in your pajamas.
   • Include your schedule – are you asking to work from home full-time or only a couple of days per week.
   • Include a trial period – six months, 3 months, six weeks. Offer to show that you’ve thought this through and that it will work.
   • And MOST IMPORTANT – show how your teleworking benefits the company. There are studies that support the benefits of teleworking.
     • If you can, find out how much it costs the company for your space.
     • Mention that the space that you won’t be using can be shared with another teleworker – two employees for the price of one desk.
     • Don’t forget to include what you believe their costs are going to be as well. My employer doesn’t pay for my internet access (it’s shared by the entire family), but they do pay for my second phone line – $38.67 per month.
     • You don’t need a separate fax machine, even if you don’t have a multi-function printer. Internet faxing sites (such as Fax.com) can be an inexpensive alternative for regular small faxes.

Now that you’ve got that proposal written, make an appointment with your boss for a time that they’re not in the middle of an emergency or under a tight deadline. You want them relaxed! Before your meeting, practice, practice, practice! Practice what you’re going say and how you want to say it. Smile and be prepared for questions and objections.

If you’re turned down, try not to be defensive, but ask why. Perhaps you’ve asked for 4 days at home each week, but your employer thinks they need you in the office for at least 3. Compromise. Maybe your employer has a strict rule against telework. In that case, maybe time and more research will help change their mind.

If you are successful, pat yourself on the back, invest in some comfortable clothes (NOT pajamas!), some flat shoes, and start thinking about how to decorate your home office to make it work for you!

Want to talk more about creating your proposal? Let’s chat at the BD Forums!

Ree’s personal blog is “My Life as a Hotfessional”. If you’d like to hear about the rest of the craziness in her life, stop by anytime! She’s always “at home”.