Reply to: WFH - if agreed do you insist its in contract?

[psychocandy]

For f***sake you are part of the IT department so if you can't talk to the right people to give you permission then who the hell can?

Must admit I've obviously never worked at any of the places you have where a contractor can come in on day 1 and start authorizing their own things with the client.

I'd say 99.9% of things need a client manager to authorise things. Especially remote access.

[SueEllen]

Cheers all. I'm just concerned about turning up and then no-one bothering to get off their arse to get the remote access sorted.

IMHO once you're there no-ones bothered abotu sorting things like this out.

For f***sake you are part of the IT department so if you can't talk to the right people to give you permission then who the hell can?

[russell]

Cheers all. I'm just concerned about turning up and then no-one bothering to get off their arse to get the remote access sorted.

IMHO once you're there no-ones bothered abotu sorting things like this out.

Stop being timid and waiting or their permission, would an architect turn up at your door every morning waiting for you to tell him to go to his own office to do the project? Tell the agent from the get go and the client at the interview, then just work from home. If they haven't got access sorted that is their problem.

[psychocandy]

Cheers all. I'm just concerned about turning up and then no-one bothering to get off their arse to get the remote access sorted.

IMHO once you're there no-ones bothered abotu sorting things like this out.

[SueEllen]

I've never insisted it was in a contract. Often the client has brought it up with me at interview.

It has caused some interesting situations where some client management weren't allowed to work from home but all the contractors on the projects they were in charge of helping to deliver were within reason.

[psychocandy]

I have WFH on my last 4 contracts. I work in FS industry so it is quite common practice amongst the permanent staff.

To achieve this:

1. Discuss it with the Agent before any interview. They will normally mention it to the client too so it softens the impact when I bring it up
2. Be upfront with the client about it in the first interview
3. If offered remind the agent that once delivery and trust in place you will be doing it

Wait till you are onsite and judge when to go for it. Some sites it has been a few weeks but this week I started a new gig on Tuesday and am WFH today as it is common place in the organisation

This is FS too.

1. Agent tried to put me off. I guess they don;t care and dont want you to say anything that'll put client off.

2. They brought it up in phone interview. I was upfront.

[Damon]

I have WFH on my last 4 contracts. I work in FS industry so it is quite common practice amongst the permanent staff.

To achieve this:

1. Discuss it with the Agent before any interview. They will normally mention it to the client too so it softens the impact when I bring it up
2. Be upfront with the client about it in the first interview
3. If offered remind the agent that once delivery and trust in place you will be doing it

Wait till you are onsite and judge when to go for it. Some sites it has been a few weeks but this week I started a new gig on Tuesday and am WFH today as it is common place in the organisation

[psychocandy]

I think if that is the case to save your time and theirs you need to ask the question before interview and make it clear you want it contracted and it's non negotiable and not flexible. I would think it is going to be very difficult to find a gig like that.

Even if I did find a client that let me WFH I have to expect that they may withdraw that option depending on work loads or demands on the project. We are after all a flexible workforce and WFH tends to be very much a benefit to the contractor.

I think both parties are aware of the way it needs to work if its going to work. And this was discussed as the way it would work rather than something that would change.

Of course, no promises the client won't suddenly say thats it no more WFH but then they know that'll pretty much be the end of it if that happens.

[psychocandy]

I think it would probably depending on the type of contract.

All of my contracts have been where I get paid a daily rate for working on some project, so in my mind the client want to see me there working.

If someone agreed to complete a project at a fixed price, I suppose the client couldn't give a monkeys where that someone did the work. The majority of time would be spent WFH, except of course in situations where face 2 face would be ideal like meetings for instance.

In my experience too, clients want to see you there on site.

[quackhandle]

A line manager at one of my prev clients has this in his contract as they wanted him to take a rate cut so he got 2d wfh in his contract.

It pi$$ed off a few permies in the team who would sometimes not bother to tell anyone they were also WFH.

I've never insisted it in contract but I'd say it's a nice to have but never bank on it.

qh

[kingcook]

I think it would probably depending on the type of contract.

All of my contracts have been where I get paid a daily rate for working on some project, so in my mind the client want to see me there working.

If someone agreed to complete a project at a fixed price, I suppose the client couldn't give a monkeys where that someone did the work. The majority of time would be spent WFH, except of course in situations where face 2 face would be ideal like meetings for instance.

[northernladuk]

Seems to be differing opinions on this issue. Like I said, they brought it up.

Yes maybe if they really want someone mon-fri 9-5 then thats up to them, isnt it? Nothing ventured nothing gained - Im not interested anyway if its mon-fri 9-5 on site.

I think if that is the case to save your time and theirs you need to ask the question before interview and make it clear you want it contracted and it's non negotiable and not flexible. I would think it is going to be very difficult to find a gig like that.

Even if I did find a client that let me WFH I have to expect that they may withdraw that option depending on work loads or demands on the project. We are after all a flexible workforce and WFH tends to be very much a benefit to the contractor.

[psychocandy]

+1 on this.
I personally class that as a major 'no-no' to be honest, and prefer to build up to that sort of thing as the business relationship & mutual trust develops.
If I was a hiring manager the last thing I'd want is a potential 'hiree' asking at interview about WFH. ...I'd be thinking 'FFS get out of my office & send the next one in on your way out'

Seems to be differing opinions on this issue. Like I said, they brought it up.

Yes maybe if they really want someone mon-fri 9-5 then thats up to them, isnt it? Nothing ventured nothing gained - Im not interested anyway if its mon-fri 9-5 on site.

[SteelyDan]

Would it work against you to try get it in writing as the client would be a lot less likely to accept and go for the guy that isn't pushing for it? My last two clients let me work from home after a few months of delivering in the office. Both were informal and worked very well. We did have a WFH ban for a short time after everyone started abusing it, office dead on Fridays, same people WFH but never available etc
WFH seems to be more a working arrangement than a contractual obligation IMO.

If it isn't in the job spec I think you could be shooting yourself in the foot trying to get in to the contract?

+1 on this.
I personally class that as a major 'no-no' to be honest, and prefer to build up to that sort of thing as the business relationship & mutual trust develops.
If I was a hiring manager the last thing I'd want is a potential 'hiree' asking at interview about WFH. ...I'd be thinking 'FFS get out of my office & send the next one in on your way out'

[Gordon Ice]

No Assumptions Please..

I always get something into the contract to cover working from my home / trading office and I always state the primary client address so that costs associated with working at alternative client locations can be re-charged to the client. Never ever make assumptions.

I normally go for something like "Services to be provided at the main client office [Address], other locations where resources are needed from the client, locations relevant to engaging with the clients' suppliers, and the [Ltd Company] trading office."

Obviously the practicalities of WFH is then down to how you manage the expectations of the client. Personally I avoid asking to WFH and simply inform the client that I will be WFH on a particular day for a specific reason. Dealing with awkward clients is yet another source of fun but it really comes down to how hard you feel able/willing to push the issue, and how much IR35 risk you want to take.

Overall, think like a business and act like a business.