Working from home/4 days out of 5 etc - when to raise with client

[Ticktock]

When remote working is a big deal - i.e. you wouldn't take the gig if it required 100% on-site - do you folks get it explicitly worded into the contract?

Years ago I took a job I believed was "Contracting" - it was actually a temp-to-perm position where I worked self-employed for 3 months and then was offered a permanent place.

At the interview I was offered the job, and based on the office location said I'd want to work from home most of the time, only going in to the office when I really needed to, which they agreed to, but this wasn't specified in the contract.

Fastforward a few weeks and suddenly I was expected to be in the office 2 - 3 days per week, whether I needed to be there or not. A few weeks later and it was "a minimum of 3 days a week" and a few weeks later it was every day.

So now, yes, I would want it in the contract.

[Old Greg]

Years ago I took a job I believed was "Contracting" - it was actually a temp-to-perm position where I worked self-employed for 3 months and then was offered a permanent place.

At the interview I was offered the job, and based on the office location said I'd want to work from home most of the time, only going in to the office when I really needed to, which they agreed to, but this wasn't specified in the contract.

Fastforward a few weeks and suddenly I was expected to be in the office 2 - 3 days per week, whether I needed to be there or not. A few weeks later and it was "a minimum of 3 days a week" and a few weeks later it was every day.

So now, yes, I would want it in the contract.

So they change their mind and ask you to come in three days per week. You say no and they terminate the contract.

[DS23]

make the dilemma work for you

contractor? skills they need?

then you can work to live & not live to work

state your rate and time available and if necessary, the reason (it might help)

then you can do your thing, have your cake & support your other half in good conscience

sell them that it's why you're a contractor (not simply the money, oh no)

[DS23]

i've taken this approach a few times (birth of children, terminal illness of parent) and it has worked for me. but then, it had to. after that i realised that actually all you needed to do is to be bold. say it and mean it and of course be prepared to lose to those out to those who will compromise.

[The Spartan]

There's a contractor I work with they have gotten away with working from home on Friday's for a few months. It's not in their contract and now they've been moved across to the team I work in they expected to do the same. They were told no and kicked off and got a bit shouty and what not thinking of every excuse in the book to try and ensure they could work from home one day every week. It was still not authorised whilst working from home is allowed on the odd occasion on site is preferred unless it was negotiated in your contract.

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[psychocandy]

i've taken this approach a few times (birth of children, terminal illness of parent) and it has worked for me. but then, it had to. after that i realised that actually all you needed to do is to be bold. say it and mean it and of course be prepared to lose to those out to those who will compromise.

Yep. Similar situation to me this time - I don't have much of a choice. So nothing to lose if I lose out really. Probably helped me to be bold to be honest lol.
Still waiting and of course it might still not work out but I had a better reaction than expected I must admit.

[psychocandy]

OK. Different gig but got a face to face next week. Fairly niche stuff that I've got tons of experience of and the rate is very good BUT its london again.

In all honesty, the mon-fri aint gonna work and its just under two hours on train to london (plus tube) so prob bit much as well. Personal situation etc.

Did mention 'possible' occasional WFH which may work. Couple of days WFH and couple of days London would be doable.

But its working for consultancy onsite at their client again. Sometimes this causes probs cos they want 'visible bums on seats'.

Those of you who've managed to swing wfh - what sort of skills/contracts do you do? I'm mainly support/admin/techie but this one is a lot of project work though.

Got a feeling their not interviewing many people (its a rare skillset) so I may be in a position of power. Might be worth pushing it for the WFH thing.

[psychocandy]

There's a contractor I work with they have gotten away with working from home on Friday's for a few months. It's not in their contract and now they've been moved across to the team I work in they expected to do the same. They were told no and kicked off and got a bit shouty and what not thinking of every excuse in the book to try and ensure they could work from home one day every week. It was still not authorised whilst working from home is allowed on the odd occasion on site is preferred unless it was negotiated in your contract.

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Thats another thing - negotiate in contract or trust them when they say yeh we'll sort something out.

I reckon first one. Been let down like this in the past (although this was office location).

[russell]

I now work from home 4 days and sometimes 5 days a week, client doesn't mind as long as I do the work. If you think yourself as a legitimate business there should be no reason you have to go and site in the clients office 9-5 like a permie. Come in for meetings is required otherwise I would state up front, I work from my own office, if that's a problem then tough. I realise a lot if clients would still struggle with this concept but if explained properly they can't disagree? i am a programmer so it lends itself to working from home more that other disciplines.

[psychocandy]

I now work from home 4 days and sometimes 5 days a week, client doesn't mind as long as I do the work. If you think yourself as a legitimate business there should be no reason you have to go and site in the clients office 9-5 like a permie. Come in for meetings is required otherwise I would state up front, I work from my own office, if that's a problem then tough. I realise a lot if clients would still struggle with this concept but if explained properly they can't disagree? i am a programmer so it lends itself to working from home more that other disciplines.

Programmer = bit different. You can go away and get on with stuff on your own.

Know what you mean though.