According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 15 percent of workers had access to employer assistance, in flexible timings.
Kid care and geriatric care are becoming issues that are changing working systems in today's society in the US. With these twofold responsibilities in mind, men and women are looking to flexible work schedules to allow them to balance time with family members and a competitive career.
Reports show, that women shoulder most of the household responsibilities, especially looking after the children and the parents. Compared to women, only 20 percent men fulfill the same responsibilities. Caretaking of home and children is considered a woman's prerogative and duty. It is also assumed that women do a better job of these responsibilities than men.
Hence, it is natural, that more women than men will desire flexible timings. Anxiety about the home, at the workplace led to reduced productivity and employers will do well to remember, that it is in their larger interests to lessen that stress.
Well, if you want to convince your boss to allow you and other of your colleagues who are facing similar problems, here's how you can present an infallible and convincing case.
Do Your Home Work
Be a sleuth and do some investigations. Find out if any other worker has a flexible arrangement. You could simply ask the boss, to do for you, what is being done to him. Find out if there are others like you, who would want flexible timings. A joint request carries more weight. Open that workplace rule book and see if flexible timings are in the menu of benefits. There are many benefits listed in the employer's handbook that go unutilized because no one is aware of them. If it is there, your problems will be greatly lessened. If it is not there see if you can get one created by a joint representation or through your workers union.
Honestly Appraise Yourself - Do I Merit This?
There are many forms of flexible arrangements. It could mean allowing you to report late for work or go home earlier than the others. They could mean extended or compressed weekends. Maybe you will be allowed to leave during the day and return after attending to the emergency that cropped up. Job sharing or reduced work is also considered as flexibility in your work.
Know Exactly What You Want
Evaluate what kind of flexibility you would like in your work pattern. Don't ask for something that is not feasible and it is not correct to ask for a particular work schedule that impair your ability to perform your job.
What If You Were The Boss?
Be honest about yourself. Have you really been fair to your job? Have your home burdens weighed heavily on you during your work and you have not been able to do proper justice to your work? Ask for something that is within the management's authority to give. Put yourself in your bosses' shoes and honestly ask yourself what you would have done.
Put Interests Of The Business First
Make your request in such a manner that it will seem that the company will not face any loss in productivity or other costs savings. Say that you will make up for the lost hours on a weekend, when there are no other workers around and the company will be happy to have extra hands to help. Present it as an asset to the company, not as a loss.
Don't Make A Vague Request
Asses what you need, before asking for it. Ask your spouse and think of the times when you are most needed at home. Write out a formal proposal. Seek an appointment with the boss and explain why you want it and how you will compensate the loss in working hours and how it will not result in any inconvenience or loss to the company. Outline clearly why your flexible schedule won't make life more complicated for your boss or colleagues,
Don't Abuse The Privilege Granted To You
Presuming your flexible schedule gets approved. Understand clearly that you are one of the fortunate few who have managed to get one. Be grateful to the boss and live up to his expectations. Make a timeline for achieving goals and go the extra mile in achieving them. Most importantly stay in touch with your employer and check in with your boss often to ensure that she's or he knows that you're meeting your performance objectives and is satisfied with your results.
Assuage Coworkers Feelings
It is but natural that your co-workers will feel a certain resentment towards you. They will feel that the privilege given to you is ill-deserved. It is imperative that you gain their respect and support. The surest way is to ensure that your work performance does not snag and that you always stay in touch with them. You don't have to be a prisoner of schedules to get work done; flexibility ensures that you make up for scheduled timings during holidays or weekends. Always have a smiling visage.
Don't Over Stretch
While it is important that you make up for lost time, draw the line someplace and work within the confines of those lines. Working overtime is not the answer, scheduling your time is more important.
