Flexible Working Negotiations

[coolhandluke]

We had a new contractor start last month who was traveling 200 odd miles and staying over. Before the interview the client told the agent straight out he wanted someone local due to a previous chap turning up at all hours. New guy was adamant it was no problem as he was staying local etc etc.

Turns up first day at 11am blames traffic. Can't understand why it took him 4 hours to drive 200 odd miles on a Monday. Within 30 minutes he was asking for WFH and early finishes. Nothing offered so he decided to finish at 3 anyway on a Friday.

Renewal comes up - sorry pal no more budget....

I can't stress enough how important it is to turn up and do a good days work until a good working relationship is established. The number of contractors I see taking the piss and being shown the door at renewal is staggering.

[Lance]

I work on the assumption no flexibility from the off. I smash the work for the first month or two and when I've shown some value and gained their trust I'll mention it.
I've seen contractors come in and by the end of the first week they've asked for flexibility and it just turned the client right off.

This ^^^^^

Ask at interview, or prove yourself. No middle ground.

[SueEllen]

Option C - Ask about the company's working practices in a matter of fact way at interview. I've ended up with WFH from many clients for different reasons due to finding out the company's working practices at interview.

For some clients I ended up WFH due to having appointments for different things, and another because I had an op and couldn't get into the office. With that client I was allowed to WFH a lot after that but other permies and contractors weren't. Due to the nature of the work it was more productive to catch people in the office.

Current client doesn't have enough office space at some of their sites, so due to having teams spread nationally and internationally everyone who can do days at home who is primarily based at those sites is expected to.

[d000hg]

With a brand new client, you have to build trust. Unless they are used to doing this, or you're in a position to dictate terms, I think the best you can hope for is to get an agreement that in principle they're open to the idea once you get settled in. If they simply say "no way, we wouldn't consider it" even if you push quite hard, you'd have to decide what to do. Otherwise you have to work into it, have a plan for how you're going to make it happen.

Don't say "I'll work from home Fridays" if you want them to take you seriously, perhaps

[SeanT]

But you do see how the client could be pretty disappointed hearing this but they've spent time and effort finding you so they'll go along with it? You could be on the backfoot before you've even walked in the door. They might not but the fact you may have introduced a risk is there. It would piss me off and I know it's pissed my ex-client off in the past.

I was probably a bit more tactful about it than you're accustomed to? I took 25 quid a day less than their initial ballpark figure because they were prepared to do the flexibility. If they'd said absolutely not I'd have asked for 25 quid more, not ditched them. I'm working from home today, and I've already got more done than I did yesterday afternoon from London. The real silver lining though is they have an office refit coming up now, and don't have room for everyone, so I'm working from home 100% for six weeks soon, which wasn't part of the negotiation.

[SeanT]

Don't say "I'll work from home Fridays" if you want them to take you seriously, perhaps

I try to avoid working from home on Fridays, the trains are quieter and there's usually beer at the end of it, plus I don't have to get up at 6am the following morning

[AnthonyQuinn]

Thank you all

A very productive thread with lots of great advice. I have got the gig after 5 months on the bench. Kept mum about the flexibility requirement. Pimp feedback is that I just pipped someone else to the role out of 8 candidates. So possibly keeping my mouth shut helped.

I can share a tip in return for all the helpful advice. Sometimes its also good to let the agent have these conversations??

[Lambert Simnel]

A very productive thread with lots of great advice. I have got the gig after 5 months on the bench. Kept mum about the flexibility requirement. Pimp feedback is that I just pipped someone else to the role out of 8 candidates. So possibly keeping my mouth shut helped.

I can share a tip in return for all the helpful advice. Sometimes its also good to let the agent have these conversations??

Cool. Good to hear.

[FrontEnder]

If it's a big where I'll be staying away (or even if I'm not) I'll ask the agent at the start what sort of flexibility they usually offer. I don't say e.g "I want 1 day WFH.." I'll just ask what the company are like for flexibility etc and usually say that will also effect my rate (esp if staying away).

It hasn't seemed to stop any of them off putting me forward, and ill use their response to gauge how to approach it with the client. Sometimes they'll be clear that any WFH is unlikely, so I wouldn't ask at the interview and then see what it's like on site.

WFH is a bonus for me, if it's essential for you, then you know then the gig won't be for you, or you tell the agent you want this and see if the client can do.

[slogger]

flexible working for me is always a massive plus. at interview if it has gone well I always ask what the clients requirements are - in terms of releases are they done out of hours/at weekends, do they require remote support after go-live - do people wfh etc - when bundled in amongst a few other genuine queries I dont think the client would mind.