How to Sell Remote Work to An Employer
Eighty to 90 percent of the U.S. workforce is interested in teleworking at least part-time, according to Global Workplace Analytics. This is not only a demand among younger workers – seasoned employees are seeking to work from home two or three days a week.
Requesting to work remotely is a hard sell for a company where you’re interviewing for an office-based role, but there’s no harm in trying. It’s easier to sell the idea if you’ve already worked for an employer for a year or more and want to make the shift. Employers can’t always see the benefit that it can bring them and it’s your job to tell them how. The bottom line: you can leverage your location to bring more value to the company.
Events. Check out local networking and marketing opportunities in your current or future location on Eventbrite. Think broadly. There may be applicable conferences or workshops within or complementary to your area of expertise where you can gain contacts and exposure for the firm. By allowing you to reach beyond your normal duties, you're building capabilities which ultimately contribute more to your team.
Access to partners. Ask your boss to consider strategic partners that may be an asset to the business in your current or future location. Perhaps there are existing partners in your location, or you may be in a good place to develop new partnerships.
Access to clients. The same is true for current or prospective clients. Can you help to maintain or strengthen existing client relationships? Can you develop new business contacts in your local area? Technology cannot replace face-to-face interaction, and you can save your company travel costs.
Public relations. If your company is looking to gain exposure to new markets, you can help by virtue of your new location. Your media department can focus their outreach on those locations and enable the company to expand its reach.
The more specific benefits that you can identify for your particular employer, the better. It’s not a guaranteed “yes”, but taking this approach will get them thinking about your proposal in a constructive way.