Remote working is no longer an exception. Still, it can be exciting to ask your manager if you can work temporarily from abroad. With the right preparation and arguments, you can significantly increase your chances of a positive answer. In this blog I will give you 10 ways to convince your boss to allow you to work or temporarily work remotely.
Remote work is not an escape from work, but a way to contribute to your organization with new energy and inspiration. By going into the interview well prepared and showing that you handle this professionally, you take the first step towards a successful workation.
1. Emphasize your soft skills: self-discipline and time management
Remote working requires responsibility and self-discipline. Show that you already have those skills. Explain how you already organize your work independently, meet deadlines without constant supervision and bring structure to your day. Give concrete examples: a completed project or situation where you made a difference by acting independently.
2. Start small: propose a short workation
You don’t have to go to Bali for three months right away if you want to work remotely. Start with a proposal for two weeks of remote work from Spain or Portugal, or another country in Europe. In any case, a destination that is not too far away and where the facilities for remote work are generally good. Also, preferably choose a destination with no time difference, which will make communication with your colleagues and clients easier.
In this way, make it low key for your supervisor as well as yourself. Also, by choosing a not too long period, you won’t be missed at the office for so long. Then you also won’t get any objections from your boss who thinks you’re losing connection with colleagues. When you show that it works, you can then look at a longer period together.
This is how it started with me myself. My employer (before I started Working Remotely 3 years ago) was very flexible about remote working. The first workation was together with 2 colleagues from my team. We went to Croatia. Where we went for 10 days, of which we took 2 extra days off. This experience went so well, that we gained confidence and then went away more often and for longer. We even spent the winter in Spain for 3.5 months.
3. Discuss preconditions clearly
Prepare well by working out the most important frameworks in advance:
- How long do you want to go?
- Is there a time difference with your intended destination?
- How many hours a week will you work?
- Do you possibly take a few extra vacation days?
- What do you do for emergencies or meetings outside regular hours?
By proactively answering these questions, you show that you are serious about the proposal and have considered the consequences of working from abroad.
4. Prove your online skills
Remote working requires smooth online communication and organization. Show that you’re already good at this. Do you work with tools like Microsoft Teams, Slack, Trello or Asana? These programs make it easy to work online. Talk about how you use them to keep an overview and work well together, even remotely. Obviously, you should always make sure you have a good Internet connection. That means using a stable and reliable network. That responsibility lies with you.
5. Show your preparation with the Workation Roadmap.
Good preparation is half the battle. In your proposal, refer to Working Remotely’s Workation Roadmap: a handy e-book that helps you tackle everything practically and professionally. From choosing accommodation to arranging the right tools and communication. It’s a great way to properly prepare your digital nomad experience, increasing your chances of a successful remote work adventure.
6. Work securely online
Show that you take online security seriously. Which is hugely important to many employers, of course. Tell them that you use a VPN connection so you work securely online. That you check in advance that a stable, secure Internet connection is available and that you know how to handle company data securely. Need to log into your organization’s network? Then make an extra check with the IT department to see if the settings are correct from your remote workplace.
7. Show the speed test of your accommodation
A fast, stable Wi-Fi connection is crucial. Many work accommodations today list internet speed on their website or via book through platforms like Working Remotely. So choose an accommodation and/or workplace where you can guarantee that good reliable internet connection. Contact the owner beforehand to check the quality of the wifi. Don’t settle for a simple “yes,” as most owners will say that. But do they really understand the importance of your request? Be critical and, for example, request a speed check, which they can do for free and easily via an app. This in turn is additional proof to your boss that you take remote working seriously.
8. Tell why you want this
Share your personal motivation. Maybe you need new inspiration, a different work environment or you want to work more productively with more focus. By sharing your “why,” you’ll give your supervisor a better understanding of your need and make it easier to find a solution together. Share why this freedom is so important to you, is going to be a boost to your job happiness and that you will therefore value this employer extra.
9. Show previous remote experiences (if applicable)
Have you worked remote before? If so, share your experiences. What went well? What did you learn from it? And how did it positively affect your work? Even if it was just a few days, this shows that you know what you’re getting into. Perhaps your supervisor has certain assumptions and preconceptions about remote work that you can refute.
10. Create connection and give honest updates
Trust between employee and employer is essential. Suggest regular updates to your team or supervisor during your workation. Let them know how things are going, what you are completing and what you are up against. This will maintain both connection and trust, even from a distance.
Do you want help starting your remote career or are you finding it difficult to take the first steps towards a remote life with more freedom? I would love to help you and share all my experience from the past 8 years of remote work, both employed and freelancer/entrepreneur. You will find here all the ways I can help you start your remote life.
