A little back story…
Let me introduce myself. My name is Jane and I work full time as the Brand Manager for Job Seekers here at WORK180. I am also known as Job Seeker Jane (thanks team), Mum, Wife, Caretaker, Chauffeur, PA, Cook, and Financial Controller just to name a few. My husband owns and runs his own business and is a senior coach at a local football club (Go Cougars – not me – the football team). Together we have three young kids (all of school age) and each of them participate in extracurricular activities… too many maybe. So, to say my life is a juggle is probably an understatement. The question is, could I manage all this if I wasn’t able to work flexibly? The answer is a definite no.
Flexible working at WORK180
We all work remotely here at WORK180. This means I am home in the mornings to send my kids off to school and I’m here when they return (which can come with its challenges). Some days I work 9am-5pm and other days I start early so I can finish early and do the mad dash to after-school activities. I count myself as lucky, which makes me feel guilty and then annoyed. I shouldn’t be ‘lucky’ – this should be the norm! We should all be able to work the hours and in the way that works best for our individual needs. Why? Because it benefits everyone.
The benefits of flexible working
When I am at work, WORK180 gets my complete focus and attention. I am not working under the added stress of ‘I need to get home in time to get my kids from school’ or ‘how am I going to explain that I need to finish work early today?’ That is not to say that it is easy and all smooth sailing, but let’s face it, we all have enough stress in our lives without this added pressure. Parents aren’t the only ones that need and benefit from flexible working. That is just my personal experience. What about those that play sport, have a hobby outside of work or those that just work better in the mornings or the evenings? Shouldn’t employers acknowledge and realize that they are going to get a better version of their employers if they are more flexible about the way they let their employees work? Don’t get me wrong, I know it isn’t always as simple as that, but there should be no reason why a discussion can’t take place between employer and employee in regards to working flexibly.
Negotiating flexible working conditions
Are you reading this thinking, I could really benefit from working more flexibly but I have no idea how to talk to my employer about making this happen? What are my options? What is the best way to bring it up? I get it. It can be daunting. To help you, we have put together a guide to negotiating flexible working conditions. Think options, plans, tips, and even an email template where you can just copy, paste, fill in a few personal details and press send. Where can you get this guide? Just click the button below. I hope it helps.
