What is flex work? Ultimately, flex work is making your home office your official office space. Flex work allows you to work mainly from home, while still being able to come into the office when necessary. Flex work can be a great option for those who have a lot going on at home, who have a bit of freedom with their work schedule, and who don’t necessarily rely on in-person team work to get their job done. Perhaps before the pandemic, most companies didn’t see how flex work could be successful for many of their employees. However, after several months of forced remote work, employers may see that flex work is not so out-of-the-question after all. With office buildings reopening across the country, now is a great time to put in the official ask to work from home.

When you first approach your boss about switching to flex work, be sure to adequately plan for the discussion by having some justifications for going flex in mind.  Create a list of all the different ways flex work will benefit you, your team, and your boss. Maybe switching to flex work will help you to better balance your work and personal life. A more balanced life will lead to less stress and more productivity. This will in turn help your team’s overall output, which therefore will help your boss to meet their deadlines. Flex work may also lead to you having more availability, and it can also help to prevent burnout. Another great idea is to compile a list of examples of the ways in which you have successfully managed your work load (or even taken on more work) since being forced to work remote. Overall, it's important to be able to prove that your flex work can be beneficial for not only you, but your co-workers and management as well.

You should also have a plan prepared for what your workday will typically look like once you switch to flex. You should make it clear to your boss how you intend to structure your day. Have an agenda prepared so that your boss has a good understanding of what your working hours will be, and what situations (kids, regular appointments, etc.) you might be balancing throughout the day. For example, maybe one of the reasons you want to switch to flex work is to be home when your children are home from school. Maybe this means that your typical working hours will be 9am-4pm, and then again when the kids are in bed from 8-10pm. Whatever schedule is going to work best for you is what you should present to your boss when pitching flex work so that they genuinely know what to expect.

Lastly, it’s important to have a communication plan between you and your boss prepared upfront when asking to make the switch. If you tell your boss you will check in with them daily, and also have a weekly one-on-one, they might be more inclined to agree to your flex work. Your manager will want to know that they can still be up to date with your work even though you’re not in the office together.