How To Say No To Working from Home

by | Jul 20, 2020 | traditional work

photo from above of people gathered around a conference table with computers shaking hands

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, many people ended up working from home for the very first time. All of a sudden, all those businesses that were reluctant to try flexible working arrangements had no choice – to flatten the curve, we all needed to stay home.

But as lockdown restrictions begin to ease and we begin to sort out what “normal” looks like now, many of those same businesses that were dead-set against remote work 6 months ago, and cursing like crazy about being forced into letting workers out of their sight 3 months ago, are now totally on board with remote work.

Why?

Because from a business standpoint, it makes a lot of sense.

Why Is Remote Work Better for Businesses?

Remote work is awesome for businesses.

  1. It reduces overhead – you don’t have to pay to maintain an office, or you can downsize into a smaller space or close some branch offices.
  2. It eliminates commute times and may help increase the time workers spend on the job, without having to pay more. A survey by Whereby in the UK suggested that 53% of office decision-makers thought their employees were more productive working from home.
  3. It solves the problem of perks like office snacks and coffee, happy hours, etc.

But those same things that make the boss happy can make workers desperately unhappy.

The Drawbacks of Working from Home

For all the good stuff about working from home – no commute, easy access to the fridge, the ability to take the dog on a walk when the weather’s great – there are some serious downsides. Like not having a commute, so you work all the time; or having that easy access to the fridge (hello, Quarantine 15); or taking the dog for a walk and missing 16 Slack messages, getting called out for having the gall to blink, and then ending up working till 11pm.

Yeah.

So it’s no surprise that 54% of surveyed workers say they’re working more hours from home than they did in the office.

And yes, 35% of newly WFH workers are burning out.

Work from home is amazing for many people, but it’s not for everyone.

And that’s okay!

Or at least it should be; working on a human scale is important for both mental health and quality of work, so it’s something that your HR department should be addressing.

So what are you supposed to do if your boss wants you to work from home all the time now … and you don’t want to?

How to Say No to Working from Home

If your office has suddenly gone 100% virtual and has no intention of switching back … well, sorry, but you’re either stuck working from home or you’re going to need to find a new job.

But if your office is doing staggered shifts, partial work from home, or other flexible scheduling, you may be able to make a case for working from the office if that’s what you need to be more productive and to take care of your mental health and work-life boundaries.

Here’s how.

  1. Just plain ask. Your supervisor may assume that you want to keep working from home! After all, a lot of people do enjoy it and find that they work better and feel better working remote. Simply asking to come back to the office may be enough to get you back on that path.
  2. Show that you’re more productive with office resources. If you need access to things like specific AV equipment, a more powerful computer, or even an ergonomic desk setup to do your job to the best of your ability, make that clear.
  3. Point out the drawbacks of working from home. Don’t make mountains out of molehills, because being too transparent can come back to bite you (say, for instance, the next time you really do need to take off for a doctor’s appointment). But calmly and reasonably pointing out that you have two small children at home and will get your work done better at the office can really support your case for getting to come back in.
  4. Be flexible in return. Give what you want to receive. If you’re asking to return to the office, be willing to flex a little – maybe you’ll work from home 2 days a week, or pull longer shifts in the office while working fewer days so that your coworkers can also come in several days a week.

Action Steps

  • Figure out if working from home is right for you. What does your gut tell you? Are you burning out? Do you need the boundaries provided by a commute to get into and out of work mode?
  • Talk with your immediate supervisor about your company’s plans to return to work. How is that going to look? If they’re planning to implement remote work moving forward, what does that mean for you specifically?
  • Be open and honest about your needs and get it all on the record, just in case.