How to Ask to Work from Home: A Step-by-Step Guide
Whether you want to work from home full-time or follow a hybrid work schedule, you must present your request professionally and address any potential concerns your manager may have.
In this guide, we’ll take you through the process of requesting to work remotely, covering important considerations, persuasive arguments, and helpful scripts and templates for making your request.
Understand Your Company’s Remote Work Policy
Research your company’s policies on remote work before asking to work from home. Many organizations have set guidelines that apply to this type of work arrangement, and understanding these can help you frame your request more effectively. Use these tips to ensure an understanding of what is accepted:
Check Your Employee Handbook
Start by checking your company’s employee handbook or HR portal. These resources usually include sections on flexible work arrangements, telecommuting, or remote work policies, so look for these.
Some organizations outline clear criteria to determine which employees are eligible to work from home, and this can help shape your request. If your company has a formal application process for remote work, ensure that you follow it.
Take Note of Precedents in Your Company
Your request to work from home might be easier to justify if other employees already work remotely. Speak to colleagues who have been allowed to work from home to find out how they made their case to management.
If remote work has been allowed for other positions similar to yours, you can reference these precedents when you make your request. If none of your colleagues have worked from home during their time with the company, you might need to build a stronger case to reassure management that working remotely is feasible.
Evaluate Job Suitability for Remote Work
Consider whether your job role is suitable for working from home. If your job requires you to collaborate frequently with others in person, it might be more difficult to do remotely. However, if your role involves independent tasks, digital communication, and minimal physical presence, it might be ideal for telecommuting.
If your job requires you to be present at the office occasionally, it may be a better idea to propose a hybrid model instead of full-time remote work. Outline specific tasks that you can do remotely and create a work-from-home schedule to show you will manage responsibilities or tasks that require in-person work.
Understand Technological Requirements
Make sure that you have the technology you need to do your job from home. This should include a reliable internet connection, communication tools, other tools such as time trackers, and, if necessary, secure access to company databases or software.
If your company provides resources for working from home, ensure you know what’s available. Be prepared to discuss who will cover costs if you need additional equipment to work remotely.
Prepare a Strong Case for Working from Home
A well-thought-out proposal for working from home can increase the chances of your manager approving your request. Highlight the benefits of remote work while addressing any potential concerns your employers might have, such as:
Identify Remote Work Benefits for Your Employer
When making your request, focus on how working from home can benefit your employer and not only yourself. Emphasize key points, including:
Increased productivity: Numerous studies done in the last five years have shown that remote or hybrid employees are often more productive due to fewer workplace distractions. However, there are also studies that suggest that a hybrid model can be more beneficial for employees and employers than working remotely full-time. Research and cite relevant studies that link working from home with increased productivity or include personal productivity data to support your claim.
- Cost savings: When more employees work remotely, your employer can reduce overhead costs such as office space, supplies, and utilities.
- Better performance: Flexible schedules that allow for working from home or a hybrid model offer employees a better work-life balance, leading to less burnout, more job satisfaction, and improved performance.
- Retention and engagement: Remote work options can potentially encourage a better working environment, which in turn leads to better employee retention and reduced hiring and training costs.
- Business continuity: Allowing employees to work from home makes business continuity possible during extreme weather events, public health crises, and other unforeseen circumstances.
- Expanded talent pool: By allowing employees to work remotely, your organization can attract top talent from a wider geographical area and improve its workforce’s expertise and diversity.
- Enhanced employee health: Working from home reduces the stress of commuting and exposure to workplace illnesses. As a result, employees stay healthy and take fewer sick days.
Addressing Potential Concerns
Your managers may be concerned about various aspects of allowing employees to work from home, such as communication, accountability, and productivity. In your request to work remotely, address these concerns with clear solutions.
Common Concerns and Solutions
These are the most common concerns about working from home, along with potential solutions:
- Concern: Lack of supervision.
- Solution: To maintain transparency, suggest regular check-ins, status updates, and project management and tracking tools like Flowlu to keep everything organized. Flowlu lets you track progress, assign tasks, set deadlines, and even monitor logged time, so everyone stays on the same page without micromanagement.
- Concern: Communication breakdowns.
- Solution: Set up a videoconferencing system at home and propose daily or weekly virtual meetings to ensure effective communication with teams, managers, and clients.
- Concern: Collaboration challenges.
- Solution: Highlight how technology such as Flowlu enables real-time collaboration and document sharing. Team members can discuss tasks, leave comments, attach files, and track project progress—all in one place, ensuring smooth communication without endless emails or lost files.
- Concern: Security issues.
- Solution: Reassure your employer that working from home securely is possible and discuss encrypted communication, VPNs, and IT security measures for remote work compliance.
- Concern: Availability.
- Solution: Be clear regarding expectations about your availability, working hours, and response times to ensure they meet company needs and requirements.
Choosing the Right Time to Make Your Request
Timing is one of the most important things to consider when asking to work from home. Management might not be open to your request if they’re dealing with a crisis, the organization is experiencing financial difficulties or is undergoing changes.
So, when is the right time to make your request to work remotely?
Ideal Times to Ask to Work from Home
The best times to ask your employers if you can work from home are:
- After a major accomplishment or successful project, because your contributions will be more valued.
- While discussing your work efficiency and goals during a performance review or scheduled one-on-one meeting.
- When working from home aligns with wider company changes such as digital transformation initiatives or office downsizing.
- At the start of a new quarter or fiscal year, when companies usually review policies and operational strategies.
Remember, timing is everything, so ensure you time your request well.
How to Avoid Bad Timing
Just as there are good times to ask to work from home, there also are bad times, as we hinted at above. Avoid asking to work remotely:
- When your manager is overwhelmed or dealing with issues that require urgent attention.
- During financial instability or company-wide restructuring or lay-offs.
- When recent feedback from your manager suggested areas in which you could improve or when you are struggling with performance issues.
- Shortly before a critical deadline or a company-wide initiative or project that requires collaborating with colleagues in person.
The only exception to making your request during these situations is in the event of an emergency, such as a health issue that requires you to spend time at home while posing no threat to your ability to do your work.
Writing Your Remote Work Request
It’s crucial that you pay careful attention to the wording of your request. When asking management if you can work from home, be professional, concise, and solution-oriented.
Examples of Remote Work Requests
Below, you’ll find examples of a few different approaches, including a face-to-face discussion, email, and a combination of the two.
Example Email Template
If you prefer making your initial request via email, consider basing it on this template:
Subject: Request for Remote Work Arrangement
Body: Hi [Manager’s Name]
I hope you’re doing well. I would like to discuss the possibility of shifting to a remote work arrangement for my role. Given my responsibilities and the nature of my work, I believe I could maintain or improve my productivity while working from home.
Remote work would allow me to optimize my efficiency while continuing to collaborate effectively with my team through digital tools. I would like to set up a time to discuss this further and explore how we can ensure a smooth transition. Please let me know when you will be available to chat.
Looking forward to your thoughts.
Best,
[Your Name]
Example In-Person or Virtual Meeting Request Script
Here’s a script to guide you if you would prefer to ask to work from home in a phone call or one-on-one meeting with management:
You: “Hi [Manager’s Name], I wanted to discuss the possibility of working remotely, either on a part-time or full-time basis. I believe my role is well-suited for remote work, and I’m confident I can maintain my productivity and collaboration with the team while working from home. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this and explore possible arrangements that would work best for the company.”
Your manager might ask a few questions before suggesting a time and date for the meeting, so be prepared to answer them then and there.
Following Up After Your Request
If your manager doesn’t give you an immediate answer about working from home, follow up professionally. By timing it carefully, your follow-up will show initiative and keep the discussion active without coming across as pushy.
If your manager declines your request, ask for feedback and if they possibly could reconsider it in the future.
Examples of Follow-Ups
If you need a follow-up to the email template and meeting request script we provided above, these are a good starting point:
Example Follow-Up Email Template
Consider basing your follow-up email requesting a meeting to discuss working from home on this template:
Subject: Follow-Up on Remote Work Request
Body: Hi [Manager’s Name],
I would like to follow up on our recent conversation about the possibility of working remotely. I understand that you may need time to consider my request to work from home, and I appreciate you doing so. Please let me know if there’s any other information I can provide to help with the decision-making process or if you have any concerns I can address.
I’m looking forward to your feedback.
Best,
[Your Name]
Example In-Person or Virtual Meeting Follow-Up Script
Use this script for guidance if you would prefer to follow up on your remote work request in a phone call or a one-on-one meeting with management:
You: Hi [Manager’s Name], I would like to follow up on our conversation about the possibility of me working from home. I appreciate that you took the time to meet with me, and I understand that you might need time to consider my request. Please let me know if there’s any additional information that I can provide to help you come to a decision.”
Make a Compelling Remote Work Request
When asking to work from home, you must plan carefully, communicate clearly, and proactively address any concerns your management may have. In doing so, you should improve the chances of your employers approving your request.
If your request is denied at first, stay professional and open-minded about other flexible work options. With persistence and the right approach, you can create a work arrangement that benefits both you and your company.
Final Thoughts
Asking to work from home might feel like a big conversation, but with the right approach, you can make a strong case that benefits both you and your employer. The key is to come prepared—understand your company’s policies, highlight how remote work can improve productivity and efficiency, and address any concerns upfront.
If your request isn’t approved immediately, don’t be discouraged. Stay professional, keep an open mind about alternative flexible work arrangements, and continue proving your value. Remote work is becoming more common, and with persistence and clear communication, you can create a setup that works for you and your team.
Good luck, and here’s to finding the work arrangement that helps you do your best!
When asking management if you can work from home, be professional, prepared, and solution-oriented. Focus on how remote work can benefit your employer, address any potential concerns, and suggest a trial period. Choose the right timing, outline your plan for communication and productivity clearly, and be open to compromise.
Highlight your ability to manage tasks independently, communicate effectively, and meet deadlines. Offer to track your work using time trackers and project management tools such as Flowlu. If possible, show your manager data or examples from previous remote work experience that demonstrate your efficiency and productivity.
This depends on your role and on company policies. If your job requires occasional collaboration in person, a hybrid model that allows you to work from home for a few days of the week might be more realistic. However, if you can do all your work remotely, propose a full-time arrangement while remaining open to occasional office visits when required.
If management denies your request to work from home, ask for specific feedback about the decision. Inquire whether there are concerns that you can address or if they are prepared to consider a trial period. If remote work isn’t feasible at the moment, revisit the conversation in a few months, especially if company policies evolve or your role changes.
If your organization doesn’t have a remote work policy, suggest that they consider your request as a potential pilot program. Outline clear expectations, responsibilities, and communication strategies to show that working from home can be beneficial for you and the company.
