| My 79-year-old widowed mother has a part-time job | | | | days a week, request to work four days a week |
| aiding elderly people in their homes. I used to be | | | | from home. |
| amused by saying that; I mean, 79 is elderly, isn't it? | | | | STEP 4: Arrange an in-person meeting with your |
| The fact is, her paid work is a mere four hours a | | | | manager to assess your telecommuting arrangement. |
| week, a small piece of her portfolio of several | | | | Your mission is to gauge your manager's true comfort |
| self-chosen activities which keep her vibrantly engaged | | | | and confidence level about your work set-up. |
| with life. My mom is an admirable example of the "new | | | | With six months or more of solid telecommuting |
| old." | | | | experience, you will have likely improved your output. |
| But I'm no longer amused at the irony of her | | | | Most remote workers see double-digit productivity |
| employment since I read about an 89-year-old former | | | | increases; with fewer interruptions and no socializing, |
| airline pilot who works 25 hours or more a week | | | | what's to do but work? |
| helping older adults find jobs. Yikes! | | | | This foundation, paired with your positioning as a |
| Meanwhile, following this great generation are baby | | | | reliable, well-performing employee your manager |
| boomers bracing for a future that will have them | | | | doesn't want to lose (right?), sets you up to get |
| working beyond the standard retirement age. If it looks | | | | approval of your request. |
| like you'll be working into your 60s, 70s or beyond, | | | | Yet, you need to get a clearer view of the situation |
| here's a twist on telecommuting that can give you a | | | | from your manager's perspective. |
| retirement vibe without retiring. | | | | Is your he or she blown away at your productivity |
| Try telecommuting as a way to get out of town and | | | | output (at which time you can reinforce the value of |
| still earn a living. | | | | remote work and how it adds to your job satisfaction |
| Am I suggesting you take your laptop computer on | | | | and achievements)? |
| your vacation? No, not that. Definitely not! | | | | Or is your manager suggesting that four days a week |
| Instead, consider a seasonal escape where you do | | | | working away from the office is excessive? |
| your usual work in the salubrious setting of your choice | | | | What else? Listen carefully (especially between the |
| for six to eight weeks. | | | | lines). Do a subtle probe of the attitude environment so |
| Imagine the following temporary work set-ups (but not | | | | you can figure your next move. |
| all three, of course!): | | | | STEP 5: Request your seasonal remote work |
| - February and March at your South Carolina condo | | | | arrangement. |
| - June and July at a vacation rental in Idaho or Ireland | | | | Based on the outcome of Step 4, you'll know (or |
| - Thanksgiving through New Year's at your son's | | | | sense) if and when it's a wise move to go forward |
| home in another state Sounds lovely, you say? But | | | | with your request. |
| how is it possible? I've outlined 5 steps, below. | | | | Let's say you have a good vibe about it and you're |
| This flexible work life tactic assumes you are a | | | | planning to ask. |
| "knowledge worker," i.e., a professional who commutes | | | | Make your request at least two months before your |
| daily to reach a computer and a phone to do your job. | | | | anticipated start date; given approval, you'll need the |
| We'll turn it around so that the laptop and phone goes | | | | time to make travel and accommodation |
| to the worker (you) instead. | | | | arrangements. |
| It's a progression of steps over six months. | | | | Ask for eight weeks of long-distance telecommuting |
| Why not start today? | | | | so you have room to negotiate for fewer. |
| STEP 1: Change your thinking about how your job gets | | | | If you meet little resistance and you really only want |
| done. | | | | three to six weeks, confirm your travel arrangements |
| Begin to recognize that you can work from anywhere. | | | | first, then immediately alert your manager to the |
| This may be a new idea for you so the biggest | | | | adjusted dates. |
| obstacles are probably in your mind. (We'll deal with | | | | Fine-Tune Step 2 |
| your manager separately.) | | | | Looking back at Step 2, are there job tasks that can |
| Most telecommuters work remotely one to three days | | | | not be performed from a remote location? Let's tackle |
| a week. While not widespread, there are employees | | | | that issue by considering the possibilities. |
| who work full time from home. Your intended gig is | | | | Could those particular job tasks: |
| working full time from (a temporary, faraway) home | | | | - be skipped during the weeks that you're away from |
| for only a season. | | | | the office? |
| STEP 2: Arrange to telecommute from your home. | | | | - be deferred until your return? |
| First, redesign your job into telecommuting. | | | | - be delegated? |
| Don't be put off if there are some job tasks that you | | | | - be done in a collaborative way via telework tools? |
| can't imagine being done from thousands of miles | | | | - be given work-around treatment*? If you've set up a |
| away. We'll get to that further down. | | | | job sharing arrangement, Step Two has fewer |
| Set up remote access to your work computer through | | | | obstacles. |
| your employer's network or using remote access | | | | *Imagine you had to take several weeks of FMLA |
| software. | | | | leave to be with your elderly parent in a faraway state |
| Over a period of weeks, work an hour or so on a few | | | | during his or her hip replacement surgery, rehab and |
| job tasks in the evening or a Saturday from home. | | | | recuperation. Beyond your ability to access your office |
| Don't make it a habit; your goal is to prove to | | | | computer from your parent's home to do some work, |
| yourself-and eventually your manager-that you can | | | | how would you and your employer manage the other |
| perform your job well from home. | | | | aspects of your job? There's no perfect solution, but |
| After you've proven to yourself it can be done, | | | | there's usually a work-it-out solution. Think in those |
| present a proposal to your manager to work from | | | | terms. |
| home two or three days of each five-day workweek. | | | | Make it Happen |
| Assuming approval of your request (most long-term, | | | | Is this an unusual arrangement? Yes. |
| trusted employees get the green light for at least a trial | | | | Is it really possible? Yes, if you follow the steps above |
| period), you'll move to Step 3. | | | | over a sufficient chunk of time, you may be surprised |
| STEP 3: Nudge telecommuting from home up to the | | | | at the flexible work lifestyle you can craft for yourself |
| next level. | | | | that has hints of a retirement vibe. |
| After three months of telecommuting two or three | | | | |